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THE LARGEST CIRCULATED ENGLISH DAILY IN SOUTH INDIA HYDERABAD I THURSDAY I 8 APRIL 2021 deccanchronicle.com, facebook.com/deccannews, twitter.com/deccanchronicle, google.com/+deccanchronicle Vol. 84 No. 97 Established 1938 | 20 PAGES | `6.00

WEATHER Max: 38.3OC Min: 24.6OC HC hits out at officials Centre allows jabs RH: 25% Rainfall: Nil Forecast: Partly cloudy sky. Max/Min for ignoring its orders at places of work temperatures. 38/25ºC Warns they will not get away with apologies Move aimed at faster vaccination of people ASTROGUIDE VINEETA PANDEY the desired target for vac- He said he had told Sarvari; Uttarayana VUJJINI B. Vijaysen Reddy remi- NEW DELHI, APRIL 7 cinations is yet to be Union health minister VAMSHIDHARA | DC NALGONDA DIST nisced the situations achieved. Harsh Vardhan about this Tithi: Phalguna Bahula Dwadasi STUDENTS LEARNT till 3.16 am (Friday) HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 wherein the issuance of a In a bid to increase the The change of strategy during a videoconference Form-1 Notice by the high Covid-19 vaccination cov- comes amid the raging on Tuesday evening. Star: Satabhisham till 4.57 am COLLECTOR TO The Telangana High court to any official erage, the Centre on debate on vaccine avail- However, Dr Harsh (Friday) MANY LESSONS Court on Wednesday rep- FEED ORPHANS would, in the past, have Wednesday allowed pri- ability. Vardhan said: “This is Varjyam: 11.10 am to 12.51 pm eatedly advised officials ended the entire case. THIS YEAR: MODI vate companies to vacci- On Wednesday, the nothing but an attempt to Durmuhurtam: 10.15 am to of the state machinery at DC CORRESPONDENT Now, the officials seem to nate their employees at Maharashtra government divert attention from the 11.04 am; 3.10 pm to 3.59 pm various levels to be care- HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 have the confidence (to New Delhi, April 7: workplaces from April 11. claimed it faced a shortage Maharashtra govern- Rahukalam: 1.30 pm to 3 pm ful and prompt in imple- take such things easy) Prime Minister Narendra In a letter to all of vaccines and at present ment’s repeated failures to HIJRI CALENDAR menting court orders. In another contempt and come to the conclu- Modi on Wednesday said states/Union territories, had vaccine doses only for control the spread of the Sha’ban 25,1442 AH A division bench com- appeal, the High Court sion that, even if they are students might have lost a Union health secretary the next three days, and pandemic. The inability of contemnors in a contempt some vaccination centres the Maharashtra govern- PRAYERS prising Chief Justice directed Prashant J. year of their lives due to Rajesh Bhushan said this Hima Kohli and Justice B. Patil, working as the dis- case, they can get away the coronavirus pandemic was done since a substan- have to be shut due to this. ment to act responsibly is Fajar: 5.04 am Vijaysen Reddy stated: trict collector in Nalgo- with it by filing an appeal but they have learnt lot of tial proportion of the 45- Maharashtra has the high- beyond comprehension. Zohar: 12.28 pm “If the state and its nda, to feed the orphans and offering an apology. lessons of true value of plus population are in the est number of Covid posi- To spread panic among Asar: 4.38 pm machinery show scant every weekend for six But, the court cannot essential things. organised sector of the tive cases in the country. people is to compound the Maghrib: 6.36 pm regard to the orders of the months, as a punishment spare the contemnors,” In his annual interaction economy and work in “Stocks of vaccine in the folly further... Allegations Isha: 7.44 pm court, then the court will for his willful disobedi- Justice Reddy clarified. called Pariksha Pe offices (private or govern- state and in Mumbai are about a vaccine shortage SUNSET TODAY 6.30 PM also treat them with equal ence of the court orders. The court observed that Charcha with students ment), or in manufactur- only for the next three are utterly baseless.” distinct. If the officials The division bench the contempt cases and ahead of board exams, he ing and services. days. Today 14 lakh doses Congress leader Rahul SUNRISE TOMORROW 6.04 AM have the confidence that headed by Chief Justice contempt appeal cases said the Covid-19 pandem- He added that to increase are available, which Gandhi, meanwhile, criti- MOONRISE TOMORROW 3.50 AM they can get away from Hima Kohli directed the are being filed in larger ic has taught everyone not access to vaccines for such means there is only three cised this strategy on MOONSET TODAY 3.33 PM the contempt case by fil- collector to spend two numbers, and this is forc- to take anything for grant- people, Covid-19 sessions days’ stock. Wednesday, saying: “It is ing an appeal, then this hours every weekend to ing the high court to ed like regular school days may be held at workplaces “Every week we need 40 ridiculous to debate needs COUNTER court will shake and stir serve the destitute in arrange two judges to and attending office. that have 100 or more will- lakh doses, that is if we and wants. Every Indian POINT their confidence.” one of the orphanages in exclusively pursue these “The pandemic has ing beneficiaries by tag- vaccinate five lakh people deserves the chance to a The court hinted that Nalgonda. cases. The division bench taught us to fight the unex- ging these workplaces every day. We requested safe life.” from now on, every con- was dealing with various pected. People have with the existing Covid the Centre to send more Health ministry officials tempt case against any ■ Page 2: Patil disobeyed contempt appeals filed by realised the importance of vaccination centres and vaccines as this is the had said on Tuesday that officer will be listed out court’s order on paddy contemnor officials who not taking anything for asking the states to launch state with the highest the vaccine strategy was from the records of the were found guilty in con- granted like regular this scheme by Sunday. number of cases every to cover those who needed high court and if it was tempt cases, and ordered school days, attending This change in the gov- day,” said state health it, and not those who want found that any officer was Opining that nowadays, for punishments. office,” Modi said. — PTI ernment’s plan comes as minister Rajesh Tope. it. involved in a contempt of a go-easy attitude has court, then it would take a developed among the con- ■ Page 2: Addl collector serious view of this. temnor officials, Justice disregarded court’s order Encounters: J&K bans live coverage BATTLEGROUND N’SAGAR YUSUF JAMEEL | DC used a somewhat obnox- Responding to that, the forces targeting private SRINAGAR, APRIL 7 ious phrase to justify its Valley’s media fraternity houses in which militants plan to keep reporters and said that reporters or cam- were holed up during oper- The Jammu and Kashmir photographers away. erapersons do not “inter- ations went viral recently. Bhagat aims Jana: TRS is police has banned the “Don’t interfere in the fere” in the work of the It was alleged that the “live” coverage of all professional and bona fide security forces but only security forces used mor- encounters between the duty of police and the secu- discharge their duty while tar shells in such actions, security forces and sepa- rity forces at encounter covering encounters. which critics call a step to SHORT TAKES for a win with luring voters ratist militants and of “law sites,” IGP Ajay Kumar It is pertinent to note that punish the alleged support- images of the security ers of militants. Maoists release larger margin with money and order situations”, but told the media. jawan’s picture L. VENKAT RAM REDDY | DC DC CORRESPONDENT Raipur: The Maoists on HALIA, APRIL 7 NAGARJUNASAGAR, APRIL 7 Wednesday released a picture to establish that In the midst of the high-pitched election Kunduru Jana Reddy, the Congress Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, campaign in Nagarjunasagar assembly heavyweight and a veteran seven-time the CoBRA commando constituency, TRS candidate Nomula MLA from Nagarjunasagar (known as missing in the April 3 Bhagat, son of Chalakurthy Naxalite ambush on the deceased MLA constituency security forces in Terram Nomula Narasi- until 2009), is area on the Sukma- mhaiah, exudes facing the Bijapur border in confidence toughest battle Chhattisgarh’s south about his victo- of his political Bastar region has been ry in the by- career spann- held hostage by them. election. ing nearly four He says his decades in the ■ Full report on Page 7 victory is assu- Nagarjuna- red on the back sagar Assembly of TRS chief People are The outcome bypoll slated for RBI keeps key and Chief Mini- questioning of this bypoll April 17. ster K. Chandr- what he (Jana will have no He was first rates unchanged ashekar Rao’s Reddy) will do now impact on the TRS elected as MLA welfare sche- if he wins. He failed government. Under from the TDP in Mumbai: The Reserve mes, develop- 1983. Barring Bank of India on ment program- to develop the con- this scenario, let us the 1994 and Wednesday kept the pol- mes and the stituency after win- remain at home 2018 assembly icy repo rate unchanged goodwill his fat- ning from here and leave the polls, Jana won and continued with its her had earned seven times. decision to voters. as MLA for accommodative stance as TRS leader seven terms and “as long as necessary” to since 2013 as — Nomula Bhagat, — Jana Reddy, served as minis- ensure a durable eco- also as Nagarju- TRS candidate Congress candidate ter for 17 years, nomic recovery, especial- nasagar MLA which is a ly since the second pan- from December record of sorts demic wave threatens 2018 to December 2020. Such was in Telugu politics. Jana Reddy is the country’s growth Bhagat’s confidence levels that he says depending on his clean image to win prospects. he is focusing mainly on enlarging his votes this time, apart from the sympa- majority and not just a victory. thy factor that he lost the 2018 elections. ■ Full report on Page 11 ■ Full interview on Page 5 ■ Full interview on Page 5 DIRECTOR’S | CUT Ace filmmaker to launch new OTT platform Spark OTT heralded new era: RGV SRIRAM KARRI | DC WITH AN internet- offended. He has a more HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 connected mobile open mind than anyone else phone, what can our society is familiar with. On April 7, Ram Gopal people today not see or He does not judge and wish- Varma turned 59. He might know of? If we cannot es rather to understand. In a as well be 18 or 24 or 36. He Dostoevsky-ish fervour, he couldn’t care less. His ener- censor the internet, we focuses his emulous passion gy, perpetual insistence on should stay away from towards the truest subal- living in the present and censorship of OTT also. terns of society — the enjoying every moment, rejects and the outcasts, the seeking no gratification RAM GOPAL VARMA rebels against morality and from the public by way of the enemies of the state — approvals or peer adulation, after another, is his passe- out there.” criminals, underworld all these qualify him to be a partout into every slice of “You have not done dons, hired assassins, and teenager, in mind, and for- life. “I have done more gen- mythologies. Or a histori- their ilk. ever. res than any other film cal,” me retorts, wondering His intrepid courting of director,” he gasconades. if he would be offended. ■ Pg 2: India will see its first controversies with zeal, one “Maybe every single genre He, for sure, can’t be lesbian duet dance: Ramu CITY DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | THURSDAY | 8 APRIL 2021 pg 2 Lockdown, night curfew ruled out in Telangana Etala reviews situation; assures double testing of samples in TS KANIZA GARARI | DC HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 TS OBSERVES SPIKE IN COVID CASES TS RECORDS 1,914 There will be no lockdown Spread of the virus more in densely populated areas or night curfew in FRESH CASES, 5 Telangana but the testing 3,16,649 Covid 11,617 active cases, of of samples will be cases, 1,734 deaths them 6,634 in home and DEATHS IN 24 HRS increased to more than in Telangana institutional isolation one lakh per day stated 1,914 fresh cases, Over 74,274 samples DC CORRESPONDENT health minister Etala HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 Rajendar. The second 5 deaths in tested. Of them 63,077 in wave in the state is under 24 hours government undertakings The state reported 1,914 control and the situation new Covid-19 cases with will be reviewed from time RISE IN DAILY COVID-19 CASES IN THE STATE the GHMC accounting for to time. Medchal Malkajgiri - 205 new cases 393 cases. It has been He was participating in a noticed that the spread of review meeting with Ranga Reddy- 169 new cases the virus is more in dense- superintendents of gov- Sangareddy- 76 new cases ly populated areas. ernment hospitals to take The overall cases in the stock of medicines, oxy- Nizamabad - 179 new cases. 3,16,649 state is at 3,16,649. With gen facilities, manpower Nirmal - 104 new cases Covid cases, five deaths, the toll has and home kits. 1,734 deaths in risen to 1,734. Total active Rajendar said, “There Karimnagar - 80 new cases cases in the state are are sufficient medicines, Telangana 11,617 and of them 6,634 oxygen lines, healthcare Kamareddy - 64 new cases Stage are in home and institu- workers and also home Jagtiyal - 68 new cases tional isolation. kits for patients. Around 74,274 samples Government hospitals, were tested. Of them public health centres and contacts. 63,077 were in government health officials are track- VACCINE DRIVE TO BE FAST-TRACKED Those who have been undertakings. Medchal ing the situation and peo- given government home Malkajgiri recorded 205, ple are urged not to panic. kits are being monitored Ranga Reddy 169 and If they contract the virus IN TELANGANA, SAYS GOVERNMENT by doctors from public Sangareddy 76 new cases. they must opt for govern- DC CORRESPONDENT 16,08,770. The vaccine health centres. Nizamabad reported 179 ment hospitals where HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 wastage in the state has Rajendar stated that the new cases. It recorded 678 home kits are available been recorded at 3.24 per daily report of cases, fol- cases from March 31 to and there are also suffi- A total of 62,585 benefici- cent. Meanwhile, the gov- low-up and evaluation of April 6. A reason for the cient beds.” aries were vaccinated, ernment is planning to the situation is carried out increase is that it borders Rajendar urged people including 4,782 people who increase the vaccination and reported to a high- Maharashtra, which is not to go to private hospi- got their second dose. drive and asking people to level technical committee, reeling under a near tals but take treatment Till now the figure of come at the stipulated which is monitored by second wave. There have at government hospitals those vaccinated stands at time and avoid wastage. Chief Minister K. also been marriage where top-grade facilities Chandrashekar Rao. He functions, new mall were available. There Nizamabad, Nirmal Rangareddy and Medchal said, “At present the situa- inaugurations and other are many asymptomatic Adilabad, Kamareddy and Malkajgiri are cosmopoli- tion is under control and social gatherings, stated patients and there are test- others are seeing an tan hubs with people from there is no need to impose government surveillance ing centres in all govern- increase in Covid cases different states residing severe restrictions. Evo- team members in the dis- ment facilities. Testing is every day. and hence a surge in lving situation will be trict. presently being done on The minister said, “We cases.” assessed by the Chief Nirmal recorded 104, 50,000 samples per day but share a long border with Most of the people Minister from time to time Karimnagar 80, Kama- it will be increased to 1.5 Maharashtra and 60 per reporting the disease are and appropriate decisions reddy 64, Jagityal 68 and lakh if required. cent of the cases in these mild cases. Unlike last will be taken, according- other districts are also Isolation centres are also districts are due to travel year where testing and ly.” “The second wave now showing double digit available in all the 33 dis- between the two states. tracing took time, people might last for months but numbers. tricts for those who do not Surveillance officials are are now informing health- if people co-operate and ● have a facility at home. alert and they are tracking care workers in the locali- take the right precautions THE OVERALL cases in There is a surge in the cases of those who are ty and also their contacts, then it will help in control- the state is at 3,16,649. cases in all districts and testing positive.” which simplifies the ling the spread of the With five deaths, the toll the border districts of Similarly Hyderabad, process to trace secondary virus,” the minister said. has risen to 1,734. Patil disobeyed court’s order on paddy FROM PAGE 1 that there were orders It directed him to serve the from the court that he orphanage home in ADDL COLLECTOR DISREGARDED ORDER This should be done for six allots the custom-milled Nalgonda town, in which months. “If he misses any paddy. there are 40 inmates. FROM PAGE 1 information about these weekend, that should be The single judge had The court also directed officials. “Veera Reddy, the adjustable by serving an directed Patil and D. Sandhyarani, retired In the contempt appeals then additional collector extra day,” the court ruled. Sandhyarani, the then and suffering from bad filed by the then addition- of Sangareddy as also the The compliance of these DSO of Warnagal, now health, to arrange the al collector Veera Reddy, RDO and tehsildar there orders should be submit- reiterated to pay a fine of food in one of the orphan- Sangareddy, the RDO and had deliberately violated ted before the high court `2,000 and in default, suf- age homes in Malkajgiri tehsildar, Chief Justice the orders of the single after it was certified by the fer simple imprisonment on Ugadi and Srirama Kohli directed the judge and willfully inter- authority of the orphan- of six weeks. Navami festival days. Registry of the high court fered with the peaceful age home and the district Challenging the orders, As she was unable to to verify, collect and col- possession and enjoyment principal judge of both Patil and Sandhya serve in the orphanage late information from the of the land admeasuring Nalgonda, with details as Rani filed contempt home, due to the ill health, court records to ascertain Ac. 5.01 guntas in Kandi to how many hours and appeals. On an earlier the court directed the fact that in how many Chimnapur village, the dates thereof he, Patil, occasion, the division her to arrange food for two contempt proceedings did Sangareddy district, per- had served in the orphan- bench directed Prashant J days. the name of the then addi- taining to E.J. David and age. This report should be Patil to do social service, if The court, while dispos- tional collector, three others, despite clear filed on October 30. he wants to avoid punish- ing of the contempt Sangareddy appeared, and orders from the court, not Patil, who was the then ment. appeal, observed that in how many orders passed to interfere with the said joint collector, civil sup- On Wednesday, special the event of the district against the contemnor in land,” the court noted. plies, Warangal district, counsel for Telangana rep- collector of Nalgonda fac- these contempt proceed- The unconditional apolo- had been found guilty in a resenting Patil submitted ing any contempt proceed- ings. gy tendered by the then contempt case for willfully that the collector will ings in future, he shall on The court directed the additional collector in the disobeying the orders of undertake the task of his own place a copy of registrar to furnish such form of an affidavit was the single judge by not enrolling more girl stu- this order along with the data to the court by June allowed only to the extent allotting custom-milled dents in schools, treating reply to the contempt peti- 16. of granting an exemption paddy for the Kharif sea- this as a social service, as tion for the perusal of the When the court asked for him in an appearance son 2015-16 to G. there was a reduction in concerned court. about the earlier history before the court only for Chandrasekhar, propri- girls’ admissions. If the court finds that of contempt cases against one day, on the ground etor of Parameshwara The bench disagreed these orders had not been Veera Reddy and other that he tested Covid posi- Binny Rice Mill, with the proposal by say- complied with, then the officials, no answer came. tive. But, the order in the Parvathagiri mandal, ing was his statutory duty punishment will be So, the court directed the contempt case will remain Warangal, despite the fact as collector of the district. revived automatically. registrar to collate the alive, the court said. India will see its first lesbian duet: Ramu FROM PAGE 1 He is set to launch Spark ny of the film theatre sor the internet, we should silence those who dare OTT along with a partner, screens. stay away from censorship ask, he does it all. “I don’t believe in God, so I very shortly, which will “Yes. Filmmakers can of OTT also. They used to “Were you ever threat- can’t be interested in also fuse RGV World. boldly speak out their take 20 days to give a cen- ened or under pressure mythology,” he says. “I “I am at the peak of my thoughts today. Many bar- sor clearance for a movie. from the underworld,” I don’t have the patience for career and life. riers have been broken. I The sheer number of ask. He is making a movie history — the research it Filmmakers can pitch made a film recently with films, short films and doc- called the D-Company, on would take... like, I don’t their ideas,” he says, and my mobile phone, spend- umentaries on OTT and Dawood Ibrahim, and tries want to lose my time get- he would find the funding, ing `3,000 to `3,500 but Internet makes this to recreate the Bombay of ting the costumes details professionals, team and earned a lot from it. impossible. Besides, as a the ‘80s. correct.” wherewithal to take it to Today, you can make a society we have surely “I tried to understand I wish to ask him how for fruition. He has launched movie in five or 20 min- moved past the idea that criminals. What motivates a man who does not more newcomers than utes, or in one hour,” he five people can dictate to a them? What fears they believe in God he loves most other Telugu film beams with youthful exu- billion what they can see, have and how they face ghosts, but I let that pass. directors put together. berance. or cannot.” them? I did not try to RGV decides to invite me Does he believe in pro- Spark will not only be We look at another trail- humanise them but I did inside of an editing studio viding opportunities to about bringing to the er, a movie called Ladki. present their points of where he shares with me a talent or prefer being a cloud everything RGV “India’s first martial arts view too. Why would they promo of Dangerous, a mentor? No, he says, wishes himself to create movie with a lady protago- want to hurt me?” movie he stresses is reverting to the familiar in future, but will be an nist,” he reveals. “It is an Have you lost your India’s first truly lesbian safe zone to fustigate entry and launch platform Indo-Chinese production.” genius? I ask him. “Maybe love story on screen. social mores. “I don’t for talented filmmakers. I reflect within the I never had it. It is insane Flashes of Shabhana believe in helping anyone. All what one has to do is silence and soothing calm to think I can make anoth- Aazmi and Nandita Das in I just want to do what send him a two-odd of martial arts movies I er Shiva or Kshana Fire, an avant-garde gives me pleasure in the minute trailer of an idea. have personally loved — Kshanam but am not mak- polemic movie which same moment. At this If RGV likes it, it could Crouching Tiger, Hidden ing it. I or anyone else can opened Deepa Mehta’s point, I want to see not become the next Shiva or Dragon or Zhang Yimou’s only make a film. It is the brilliant and epic trilogy; tens but hundreds of films Satya, or Sarkar or Hero. RGV’s take is loud, viewers who make it a hit but I am not wont to men- being made.” Company. very loud. But he’s clearly or a phenomenon. I can tion Fire, lest a reference Is this the most-amazing We speak about censor- in love with making only enjoy the process of to Ram Gopal Varma’s era of filmmaking, the ship and morality, discuss changes as he focuses his the next shot, and that’s all Aag being funny. Has he most democratised con- pornography and the dan- attention on even the there is to it.” seen Four More Shots text, where digital technol- gers of children getting minute details. Why do you like to shock Please, I wonder. ogy has broken barriers in access to things they are RGV is a good litmus test people and create contro- Almost reading my production, editing, and not ready yet for. for society. In an age versies, I feel like asking. I mind, he expands the qual- then, when YouTubes of “With an internet-con- where we are easily don’t. That is the whole ifier, “In Dangerous, India the world have broken dis- nected mobile phone, what offended, or hurt, when point of being RGV. And I will see its first lesbian tribution too, and the OTT can people today not see or the authority refuses to be had quite clearly not come duet.” has ended even the tyran- know of ? If we cannot cen- questioned and tries to to talk to Rajamouli. CITY DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | THURSDAY | 8 APRIL 2021 pg 3

IN BRIEF Chronic diseases HC GETS 3RD Fire breaks out at GHMC fleeces taxpayers, REPORT ON tyre godown on the rise, finds LAWYER COUPLE Hyderabad: A fire broke-out in DC CORRESPONDENT a tyre godown opposite the collects garbage fee extra HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 State Central Library in Afzalgunj Wednesday morn- Apollo study A Division Bench of ing. Firefighters took two Collecting user charges is a violation of the GHMC Act Telangana High Court hours to douse the fire. No DC CORRESPONDENT ● ON WORLD HEALTH comprising Chief casualties were reported. MADDY DEEKSHITH | DC ● IMPORTANTLY, taxpay- installments (EMIs) for the city to the dump yard, HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 DAY, they have tabulat- Justice Hima Kohli and According to fire department HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 ers are not required to the SATs. citing the reason that the ed data of the last two Justice B. Vijaysen personnel, they received infor- pay an additional amount Surprisingly, without civic body is running sh- Non-communicable dis- Reddy on Wednesday mation about the accident at Despite collecting notifying the residents, ort of vehicles. The corpo- eases like diabetes, hyper- decades in their hospi- took on record the 3rd around 11.30 am and deputed `1,703.21 crore towards for garbage collection as the corporation has, dur- ration has paid `224 crore tension, kidney and liver tals and noticed a ste- Status Report filed by teams immediately. Speaking property tax from resi- its charge is already ing 2016, asked the annually this way, due to problems have seen a ady rise in non-commu- Ramagundam police on to Deccan Chronicle, district dents, the Greater included in property tax. Swachh drivers to collect its failure to purchase steady rise among those nicable diseases in both gruesome murder of fire officer Srinivas Reddy Hyderabad Municipal The GHMC Act says col- a nominal amount of `50 enough of the vehicles. in the age-group of 30 to urban and rural areas. advocate couple Gattu said, “Seven fire engines and Corporation (GHMC) has lecting door-to-door user per month for picking the Corporation officials 50 years, according to a Vaman Rao and P. V. 35 firefighters were involved been imposing an addi- charges for any service is garbage from households, refused to comment on the data analysis done by the ● THE RISE has been a Nagamani. in the operation. We are sus- tional burden of about a violation of Section 199 by claiming that the cor- issue, saying GHMC com- Apollo Hospitals group. staggering 64.9 percent The bench, however, pecting that a spark from the `2,400 crore on them by (1) of the Act. poration has been paying missioner Lokesh Kumar On World Health Day, as compared to infec- refused to give a copy of nearby huts or garbage fire way of garbage collection EMIs. It has not put a cap has asked them to not dis- they have tabulated data the status report to might have led to the acci- fee. charges for lifting, trans- on collecting the maxi- close information to the of the last two decades in tious diseases which is counsel for petitioner dent. We can come to a con- The civic body has been porting and disposing of mum. In prime areas, the media. their hospitals and 25 percent. With the Gattu Kishan Rao, clusion only through a thor- collecting the fee from the the waste in dumping Swachh drivers are col- Importantly, taxpayers noticed a steady rise in ongoing pandemic, father of late Gattu ough investigation.” about 24 lakh households yards. Such charges are in lecting as high as `500 are not required to pay an non-communicable dis- these-immune compro- Vaman Rao. The court through 3,150 Swachh the nature of ‘conservan- from households. additional amount for eases in both urban mised people are vulner- maintained that it is sat- Auto Tippers (SATs). The cy tax’, and if allowed, Sources said that the cor- garbage collection as its and rural areas. able to such complica- isfied with ongoing tipper owners are collect- would amount to a levy poration does not have charge is already included Not just the salaried investigation into the SUMMIT ON AI ing `50 to `500 from each and collection for the sec- any right to collect the fee in property tax. The class but also those living tions and highly at risk. case. family, based on the loca- ond time - once as proper- for lifting the garbage GHMC Act says collecting in rural areas, in indus- Advocate general B. S. APPLICATIONS tions, as fee for picking up ty tax, and again as serv- since the charges were door-to-door user charges trial zones, as also agri- early detection, regular Prasad informed the the garbage. Notably, this ice fee, the court had included in the property for any service is a viola- culture and other sectors intake of medicines and High Court that mobile GET UNDERWAY is unlawful. noted. tax. tion of Section 199 (1) of are showing a steep rise follow-up with treating phones seized from the The Andhra Pradesh Each auto will be cover- The GHMC had collected the Act. in these diseases. physicians would help in accused and a witness DC CORRESPONDENT high court had, in its ing 600 households a day. `1,703.21 against the tar- Supporting this, Section The rise has been a stag- better management of the have been sent to HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 judgement in the past, The procurement of vehi- get of `2000 crore. It has 489 of the GHMC Act (con- gering 64.9 per cent as disease,” the study report Forensic Science said, “Conservancy tax cles is under the Driver been indirectly collecting servancy tax) also states compared to infectious noted. Laboratory for testing. The two-day AI Summit 2021, which is a component of cum Owner scheme, in about `2,000 from citizens. that the commissioner diseases which is 25 per- Healthcare experts stat- In addition, statements under the auspices of property tax does not con- which a down payment of This apart, the GHMC has should not contemplate or cent. With the ongoing ed that 80 per cent of the of accused and eyewit- Hyderabad Chapter of India template or empower the `41,000 is collected from also been paying `1,341 levy any amount towards pandemic, these-immune mortality from these dis- nesses have been record- Electronics and Semiconductor commissioner to levy and SCs and STs, and `82,000 per metric tonne to administrative charges for compromised people are eases can be prevented if ed. A requisition has Association (IESA), which rep- collect any amount from others. The GHMC Ramky Enviro Engineers lifting, transporting and vulnerable to such com- interventions done are on been made before resents the country’s electron- towards administrative has been paying monthly to transport garbage from dumping garbage. plications and highly at the right time. learned trial court ics and semiconductor ecosys- risk. Dr Sangita Reddy, joint (Additional Judge, tem, began here on Wednesday. Non-communicable dis- managing director at Manthani) for recording The two-day conference will eases among those in the Apollo Hospitals Group statements of remaining focus on smart city, social MAN ARRESTED CUSTOMS SEIZE productive age group not says, “Non-communica- eyewitnesses. empowerment and to give Risky road only affect their health ble diseases require a Further, the advocate fillip to indigenous research but also their economic focus on prevention. general informed the and innovation in the semicon- FOR SEXUALLY GOLD WORTH and social growth. Harnessing the power of court that it will take ductor and electronics “These diseases are not technology helps us another four weeks to ecosystem. ASSAULTING `60L AT RGIA only impacting life in develop new methods of get the report from The inaugural day focused metro cities and urban screening, detection and Forensic Science primarily on India's role in MINOR DAUGHTER DC CORRESPONDENT areas but also in the rural patient-risk-profiling. Big Laboratory, Hyderabad. building AI Software. In his ad- HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 sectors. With technology, data analytics and artifi- He maintained that dress, principal secretary Jay- DURGA PRASAD it is noted that delayed cial intelligence are used efforts are being made to esh Ranjan said, “AI has show- SUNKU | DC The Air Intelligence diagnosis leads to poor at our hospitals to predict file a comprehensive cased tremendous potential HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 unit of Hyderabad management of the dis- risk and personalised charge sheet before the and played a pivotal role in the Customs arrested a pas- ease and mortality. Hence care.” trial court on time. post-pandemic economic recov- A father who impregnat- senger who brought in a ery. Today, Telangana is one of ed his 14-year-old daugh- gold consignment worth the pioneering states in the ad- ter and got her foetus `60 lakh at Rajiv Gandhi option of AI and also in devel- aborted thereafter has International Airport oping a separate AI framework. been sentenced to life (RGIA) on Wednesday. SCB residents To make it amongst the top 25 imprisonment till death With specific air global AI innovation hubs, var- by the LB Nagar Court. intelligence, officials ious AI-enabled tools and solu- The case was seized 1.2 kg gold being seek jab centre tions have been rolled out to registered at Pet carried into the city by empower the key sectors.” Basheerabad police sta- the passenger who DC absence, all of us Thursday’s events include tion of Cyberabad arrived from Kochi by CORRESPONDENT throng Bolarum Dis- focussing on the industrial Commissionerate in flight 6E-697. A case HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 pensary, where th- applications of AI. It will be 2017. has been booked ere is a huge crowd addressed by industry leaders Wife of the accused against him, the Though there has as people from most like, Gangadhar Gude, founder- had died a few years ago Customs said. been a rise in the areas gather there CEO, ATAI (Chair), Mallik M, leaving behind their two “Foreign-marked gold number of Covid-19 for their vaccinati- VP (Product and BD), Syntiant, girl children. After the smuggled from Dubai cases in Vasavi on. This goes again- Shawn Holiday, Head of elder girl’s marriage, concealed in the wash- Nagar and Kakag- st the spirit of social Customer Experience, Blaize the younger one was left room of the aircraft was uda areas of Secun- distancing,” said T. and Dr. Manish Kothari, vice- alone with her father. retrieved from the pas- derabad Canton- Satish Gupta, a president, Silabs India. Once, under the influ- senger,” said a Customs ment Board, there is member of Vasavi ence of alcohol, he official. no vaccination cen- Nagar Residents’ sexually assaulted his The passenger couldn’t tre in the area, resi- Welfare Associa- WORLD-CLASS daughter. He threatened provide proper purchase dents point out. tion. to throw her out of documents for the seized In a bid to get some In the letter for Sa- MEDTECH CENTRE the house if she disclo- gold. relief, they have yanna, Gupta fur- sed the issue to anyone. On April 1, the drafted a letter for ther points out: COMES UP IN CITY Thereafter, the person Hyderabad Customs being sent to “There are reports continued to sexually arrested two persons Secunderabad can- of Covid-19 pandem- HARLEEN MINOCHA | DC assault his daughter for after seizing 1.026kg of tonment MLA G. ic spreading in parts HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 almost 10 months. Cons- smuggled gold valued at Sayanna highlight- of Secunderabad equently, she got preg- `47.63 lakh at RGIA. “A ing their plight. Cantonment, par- After emerging as the global nant and informed her passenger arrived from “We know how vir- ticularly in Ward 5. hub for Covid-19 vaccine, father. He gave her some Dubai by flight 6E 025, ulent and dangerous But the entire ward Hyderabad now boasts of a tablets and got her abort- concealing the contra- Coronavirus has has no vaccination state-of-the-art medtech centre ed. band in the form of gold become the second centre.” with the inauguration of The girl then went to foils in the inner layers time around. It will He suggested that Medtronic’s Engineering and her aunt’s residence in of packing covers. When be beneficial for a vaccination centre Innovation Center (MEIC) on Warangal and disclosed he tried to hand it over both people and near Picket Canton- Wednesday. Incidentally, MEIC about the sexual assault An open manhole has been posing a threat to pedestri- to another person, both powers-that-be if a ment Dispensary is the largest research and and subsequent conse- ans and motorists at Chilkanagar, in Hyderabad on were arrested,” the vaccination point is could be easily development centre for Medtr- quences. The aunt then Wednesday. — DEEPAK DESHPANDE Customs said. established in accessed by people onic outside the United States. lodged a complaint Vasavi Nagar. In its of this ward. Spread across 150,000 square against the girl’s father feet, the centre in Gachibowli at Pet Basheerabad houses several cutting-edge police station, which technological equipment to investigated the case enhance treatments like med- and filed a chargesheet tronic O-arm surgical imaging in LB Nagar Court. A timely help for the elderly system, stealth station S8 sur- After the trial, the gical navigation system, accused was found SANJAY SAMUEL one-stop organisation off- thing, an emergency serv- of home-cooked food and HeartWare HVAD system, and guilty. Judge B. Suresh PAUL | DC ering expert-verified cus- ice would rush to the helping with out-of-home even the world’s smallest heart sentenced him to under- HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 tomised solutions for all place. work.” pacemaker called Micra AV, go life imprisonment till elderly needs. Moreover, The team of Support J. Srinivasulu, an ex- enabled with a mobile-app mo- death and also pay a Elders within society its services are available Elders is well trained to serviceman, who joined nitoring system, to help pa- penalty of `10,000. always need constant care round the clock. take care of emergencies this organisation as med- tients for remote monitoring and support, apart from Support Elders offers as most of its personnel ical care associate, said “I and help, called MyCareLink ● THE PERSON con- supervision. This is technology-enabled solu- are form Army back- missed serving my par- Heart app, among others. tinued to sexually essentially because most tions through a device, ground. Support Elders ents when they were old Madan Krishnan, vice-presi- children of these elderly which is like a wristwatch founder MD & CEO and ill because I was serv- dent and managing director, assault his daughter have been staying away and worn by the elderly. Apratim Chattopadhyay ing in Army. Through this India Medtronic Pvt Ltd said, for almost 10 months. from their parents beca- The device has a panic said, “During pandemic organisation, I will now “We see enormous potential in ● CONSEQUENTLY, use of their job demands. button pressing which and lockdown, we provid- be serving elderly, who energising the medical devices Support Elders, an organ- alerts the centre, whose ed undisrupted services are in need, and get that innovation ecosystem in the SHE got pregnant and isation that has made a representative speaks to elderly that included satisfaction.” Call Health, country. The R&D team in informed her father. difference to almost 1,400 through the device. If the taking care of them dur- one of India’s leading hea- India is a key contributor to He gave her some senior citizens in Kolkata elder is able to com- ing medical emergencies, lth-tech companies based medtronic’s global product tablets and got her since 2014, has entered municate, he would be pr- apart from delivering in Hyderabad, has ent- development. The opening of Hyderabad to serve elders ovided a solution. If the essential medicines, gro- ered into a partnership the new site is an important aborted. of this historic city. It is a person cannot speak any- ceries, arranging delivery with Support Elders. milestone for us as it serves as a critical component in strengthening our global R&D organisation and will also VIRUS | BLUES There is likelihood of season’s flavour being very expensive drive innovation and growth.” Attending the event were Minister for IT K.T. Rama Rao and IT Secretary Jayesh Ranjan. Haleem makers wary of Covid impact “Hyderabad is already home to marquee technology and ATHER MOIN | DC their part, the big guns ● EVEN AT the most Makers Association has will be made available life sciences companies and HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 are exploring safety optimistic estimate, there decided to go ahead and exclusively for the staff now, we are extremely delight- options so that they could may not be more than sell the delicacy while and oxygen saturation ed to host the largest R&D A sense of uncertainty go into business and 2000 haleem outlets this strictly following the levels would be moni- facility for medtronic outside pervades across the city, adhere to norms imposed Covid-19 protocol. tored every day.” the USA. MEIC will boost the and there is confusion by the authorities. year. Association president Stating that they won’t state’s medtech plans and among everyone, includ- Meanwhile, there is a where 6,000] goats/sheep Majeed said, “We have have any franchise this cement Hyderabad’s position ing those who make and likelihood that the sea- used to be supplied every discussed all possibilities time, he said that persons as the medical devices hub in the millions who relish son’s flavour could be day, remained shut, quite and decided to prepare who operated franchises India”, said the minister. haleem, come Ramzan. quite expensive. literally following the haleem this time while earlier would be provided MEIC, which received an Worried over the surge The city boasts of lockdown. abiding by the Covid-19 employment. Given the investment of `1,200cr for in Covid-19 positive cases, around 6,000 haleem mak- Even at the most opti- protocol. situation, the only two expansion in Hyderabad, almost half of small-time ers and Ramzan provides mistic estimate, there He said that every Pista cities where Pista haleem plans to foster global innova- haleem makers have seasonal employment to may not be more than House employee will take would be available out- tion and create several job decided to refrain from an estimated 20,000 pers- 2000 haleem outlets this the vaccine. They will not side of Hyderabad would opportunities over the next doing business for the ons. Death-knell was sou- year. be allowed to move out be Vijayawada and five years, the team said. second straight year. On nded last year. A city Meanwhile, the Haleem until Eid day. Two doctors Bengaluru, he said. CITY DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | THURSDAY | 8 APRIL 2021 pg 4

IN BRIEF GOVERNOR TO INTERACT WITH ADIVASIS DC CORRESPONDENT trict at 10.30 am on Thursday Bhagat slams Opposition for KHAMMAM, APRIL 7 online. Telangana Governor KISAN CONGRESS office joint secretary Jai Telangana Governor Bhavani Sankar visited the ALLEGES FRAUD IN Tamilisai Soundararajan will Pusukunta village and interact with adivasis. partic- explained the village situation CO-OP SOCIETIES focussing on wild walk abroad ularly women of Pusukunta, a to the Governor. Tamilisai remote forest village in decided to interact with the DC CORRESPONDENT Dammapet mandal of locals of the village and know HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 Says he had forgotten about his walk with cheetah in Zambia Bhadradri-Kothagudem dis- their problems. Telangana Kisan Congress on L. VENKAT RAM Wednesday alleged that large- REDDY | DC OBiTUARY scale irregularities have been HALIA, APRIL 7 Schemes will propel taking place in cooperative societies in Telangana. TRS candidate Nomula All India Kisan Congress Bhagat’s “walk with state president Anvesh Reddy cheetah” has become a Nomula’s win: Ali said despite giving several rep- talking point in Nagarj- resentations, the state govern- unasagar bypoll. A five- DC CORRESPONDENT ● TAKING A dig at ment has been turning a blind year-old video that HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 Congress leaders, he eye to the issue and wasting shows Bhagat taking a said contrary to their precious time in the form of cheetah for a walk sur- Home minister Mahm- claims, K. Jana Reddy inquiries. faced on social media ood Ali on Wednesday had done little for the Reddy alleged that `7 crore platforms and has gone asserted that the welfare was misused by Khammam viral. schemes launched by constituency despite being a seven-time legis- Sri. late K N Rao cooperative societies and While the TRS and Chief Minister K. Chan- Husband of KV Bharathi. another `3 crore in Medak, Bhagat’s supporters hail drashekhar Rao would lator DOB: 14-08-1968 DOD:07-04-2021 where MLA Padma Devender Bhagat as “real hero” for ensure the resounding Yepral.Residence left to heavenly abode on 7th April.2021. Reddy’s husband is acting as his act, his opponents win of the party nomi- many people in the con- May his soul rest in peace. the chairman. “Similarly, the accuse him of adopting a nee Nomula Bhagat Ku- stituency were com- Prayers at Yapral residence Tulasi gardens funds were misused in flamboyant lifestyle, mar in the ensuing Nag- plaining to him about Contact: 9769228347, 9989939322 Nizamabad and other districts which is uncalled-for for arjunasagar bypolls. He the lack of even civic in the state”, he said. those in politics and pub- A video grab of Nomula Bhagat with a cheetah in said it was Rao’s multi- amenities. Ali said that The Kisan Congress leader lic life. However, Bhagat Zambia in 2016 purpose Mission Bhag- Rao always accorded pri- said that the auditors are hand defended his act saying iratha that had effective- ority to the well-being of in glove with TRS leaders in the it was shot in Zambia in ensure they don’t harm Rama Rao with a lion. ly solved the fluoride weaker sections, particu- irregularities. He demanded an 2016, adding that he visitors. Since I love “I am busy with cam- problem in the district. larly those from the inquiry into the issue. loves adventures and adventures, I did it. paigning since March 30. Taking a dig at minority community. travelled to Zambia What’s wrong in this? Is When some of my Congress leaders, he Bhagat said that seeing along with his family this the issue concern- friends informed me said contrary to their the huge response to his 2,500 POLICEMEN and friends. He said ing the public or the about this video going claims, K. Jana Reddy campaigns, he was confi- opposition parties were country or our state? viral, I felt very sur- had done little for the dent that people will vote DEPLOYED FOR raking up this issue When Opposition par- prised as I too forgot constituency despite for the TRS. ahead of the April 17 ties don’t have anything about this video which being a seven-time MLA. Later, Legislative N’SAGAR BYPOLLS bypoll as they don’t have worthwhile to speak, was shot in 2016. I posted He was never concerned Council chairman Gutta anything worthy to talk they rake up such silly that video on my about the development of Sukhendar Reddy organ- DC CORRESPONDENT against TRS. issues for political Instagram account then. villages in the con- ized a spiritual gather- HYDERABAD APRIL 7 “This activity is mileage,” Bhagat said. May be, Varma had stituency, he said. ing of Muslims and unique and nowhere else Surprisingly, Bhagat tagged that video from Speaking to reporters interacted with them. As many as 2,500 police per- will you have such an too is unaware of his there. My instagram on Wednesday, he said Former Haj Committee sonnel were deployed for the opportunity to walk with video going viral until account has no postings that neither Congress chairman Masi Ullah Nagarjunasagar byelection to cheetahs except in film director Ramgopal on my political activities nor TD governments had Khan, TRS minority cell ensure peaceful polling. Zambia. In fact, Zambia Varma tweeted on April but I regularly update done anything to develop state general secretary So far, unaccounted cash of tourism promotes this 3 that if he had a vote he them on my Facebook. Telangana region. Niranjan Vali, Maulana `37 lakh was seized by the activity for adventure will vote for the “real Looking at my insta- They never were keen Javid, its district presi- Nalgonda district police, lovers. The zoo authori- hero” Bhagat who is tak- gram account, may be on improving the living dent Fariduddin, and revealed deputy inspector gen- ties permit this activity ing a cheetah for a walk. varma and others might conditions of poor peo- other leaders Arif, Mun- eral of police(DIG) holding the under the supervision of In his tweet, Varma also have felt that I have no ple and their children eer Abbas, Fahimuddin charge of Nalgonda AV experts. Though they are likened Chief Minister other activity except were denied quality edu- and Shadikhana Hafeez Ranganath on Wednesday. wild animals, they are K. Chandrashekar with walking with cheetahs.” cation and healthcare. were present on the occa- Speaking to the media at trained vigorously to a tiger and his son K.T. Bhagat remarked. The minister said that sion. Nagarjuna Sagar police sta- tion, Ranganath said, “To ensure free and fair election and avoid any incident, SHABBIR: KCR around 2500 police personnel have been deployed on election Telugu Desam loses its sole duty. We have bind over 2,500 UNJUST TO members including 370 mem- bers afflicted by the TRS party, MINORITIES 280 members from Congress party, 40 members from BJP. DC CORRESPONDENT MLA in Telangana to TRS We have also seized illegal HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 liquor worth `3.5 lakh.” DC CORRESPONDENT The police warned of strin- Former minister HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 gent action against anyone Mohammed Ali Shabbir holding any public meeting has raised severe objec- It is finally curtains for without obtaining police per- tion over TRS govern- Telugu Desam mission. The police urged the ment’s decision to con- Legislature Party in public to come out and vote vert regular employees Telangana with its lone without any fear. of Mecca Masjid and member and The police also appealed to Royal Mosque into out- Aswaraopet MLA M. the public to wear masks and sourcing staff. Nageshwar Rao quitting follow Covid-19 protocol while In an open letter, the TD and joining the rul- participating in election cam- Congress leader pointed ing Telangana Rashtra paigns and attending other to the circular issued by Samithi. meetings in view of the severi- Minorities’ Welfare The MLA formally ty of the second wave of Department that regular joined the party at Covid-19. Fines will be jobs of 30 employees of Pragati Bhavan on imposed on those who break the two historic Wednesday in presence the Covid protocols. mosques, one near of Chief Minister K. “To ensure incident free by- Charminar and the Chandrasekhar Rao. election we have established other in Public Gardens, Another TD MLA several check posts and are will be converted into Sandra Venkata Telugu Desam MLA Mecha Nageswara Rao joins the TRS in the presence of checking all the vehicles," said “outsourcing or con- Veeraiah had quit and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. —DC the DIG. He also warned that tract” employment with joined TRS much earlier. motorists driving or riding effect from March 31, Both Nageshwar Rao vehicles without proper num- 2021. and Venkata Veeraiah ber plate would be booked. “This circular has cre- later in the day met ated unrest among assembly speaker MLA took sweet time to join employees, their fami- Pocharam Srinivasa TECHIE DIES AFTER lies and common Reddy and submitted a DC CORRESPONDENT that he will continue Mecha remarked after Muslims. It should be letter seeking merger of HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 with the Telugu Desam meeting the CM. COUSIN ACCUSES withdrawn immediate- TDLP with TRS Party. Sources say Mecha ly," he demanded in his Legislature Party. Mecha Nageswara Rao, On Wednesday, howev- Nageswara Rao has HIM OF ABUSE letter addressed to Chief Soon thereafter, assem- Telugu Desam MLA er, Nageswara Rao did been promised chair- Minister K. bly secretary V. from Aswaraopet, has what he had so far resis- manship of TRICOR DC CORRESPONDENT Chandrasekhar Rao. Narasimha Chary chosen his own time for ted. Through Kukatpally (Tribal Cooperative KHAMMAM, APRIL 7 Shabbir pointed out issued a bulletin merg- joining ruling MLA Madhavaram Finance Corporation that employees of both ing TDLP with TRSLP, Telangana Rastra Krishna Rao, he met Limited). This, sources Varma Ajay Kumar, cousin of historic mosques have thereby formally ending Samiti. Though former Chief Minister K. maintain, will give him Vishwambari (name changed) been rendering selfless presence of Telugu minister Tummala Chandrasekhar Rao and official power to develop died by suicide in his house in service since many Desam Party in the Nageswara Rao, expressed his desire to his constituency. Ramavaram of Kothagudem years in upkeep and Telangana Legislative Sattupalli MLA Sandra join TRS. Apparently, on Wednesday after knowing maintenance of Mecca Assembly. Venkata Veeraiah and “Adivasis and others in Nageswara Rao was also that she had lodged a com- Masjid and Royal Telugu Desam had won transport minister Aswaraopet constituen- unhappy since last few plaint against him with the Masjid. as many as 15 seats in Puvvada Ajay Kumar cy have been facing var- months with activities police. “It is atrocious to pri- elections held immedi- tried to rope Mecha into ious problems. I realised of former MLA Thati Ajay, who is working in a soft- vatise their jobs and ately after bifurcation of TRS, the Aswaraopet I can solve them only by Venkateswarlu. He was ware company in Bengaluru, deprive them of good united Andhra Pradesh legislator had refused to becoming MLA of the also reportedly sore that was staying in Kothagudem as salaries and other bene- and formation of yield to their requests. ruling party for the TD chief is not making part of Work from Home. fits,” he remarked. Telangana in 2014. In fact, Mecha had gone remaining two-and-a- any efforts to strengthen Ramavaram police station cir- Employees of both In 2018, only two of its on record several times half years of my term,” the party in Telangana. cle inspector Satyanarayana mosques retire at the candidates succeeded in said that they have taken up age of 65 years. becoming MLAs, both investigation into the com- They also get 15 days’ from erstwhile Revanth Reddy, joined Chandrababu Naidu, the as he could not do justice plaint. leave per annum and `3 Khammam district. the ruling TRS a year Aswaraopet MLA to his constituents dur- Meanwhile, Vishwambari lakh at the time of Veeraiah, who is an after getting elected deferred his wish to join ing the last two years. was admitted to the Sakhi retirement. Once they accused in note-for-vote from Sattupalli in 2018. TRS till Wednesday. Being the ruling party Centre in Kothagudem. are “outsourced”, they case involving former Apparently under Speaking to media, MLA will help him devel- Vishwambari had lodged a will be denied these ben- TD leader and now pressure from TD Nageshwar Rao main- op his constituency in a complaint against her brother efits, he pointed out. Congress MP A. national president N. tained that he joined TRS better way, he added. and cousin for sexually harass- ing her for the last 13 years. “My father abandoned us during my childhood. I was liv- TALKING | POINT Prabhakar says KCR ruling the state like Dhritarashtra ing with my mother and broth- er in Ramavaram of Kothagudem since then,” she said in her complaint. She said that her brother sexually abused her at the age of seven TRS threatens bizmen: BJP and she has been suffering since then. She said that her DC CORRESPONDENT state office here on had earlier failed to take Telangana are commit- He demanded that cousin Ajay also used to sexu- HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 Wednesday, he demand- any action against min- ting suicides due to state liquor sales be banned in ally harass her often. “They ed that the state govern- ister K.T. Rama Rao’s government's delay in Nagarjunasagar con- threatened me not to tell any- Senior BJP leader ment order an investiga- associates who had been issuing job notifications. stituency till completion body,” she said. N.V.S.S. Prabhakar, for- tion into circulation of involved in land grab- Prabhakar alleged that of polling. She revealed that when she mer MLA, has accused an audio on social media bing and drug cases. both TRS and Congress The BJP leader con- took the issue to the notice of ministers within the wherein a minister is The former MLA said are pumping in crores of demned TTD priest her mother and parents of her KCR government of seeking his share of though TRS government rupees into Ramana Deekshitulu’s cousin, they told her not to resorting to corrupt money from a realtor. has allocated `1,000 crore Nagarjunasagar by-elec- comments comparing AP make it “an issue”. “It is com- activities and going to Prabhakar observed for most backward class- tion. He said both the Chief Minister Y. S. mon,” they told her. the extent of threatening that Chief Minister K. es (MBCs), it has not yet parties are not taking up Jagan Mohan Reddy with She said that her cousin and business personalities Chandrasekhar Rao is released a single rupee so BJP’s challenge of fight- Lord Venkateswara brother harassed her during for their share of money. ruling the state like far. ing the by-poll without Swamy of Tirumala and the lockdown too and that she Addressing a press con- Dhritarashtra. Further, he maintained distributing money and demanded an apology suffered from abdominal pain. ference at the party’s He alleged that the CM that unemployed youth in liquor. from the priest. CITY/AP DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | THURSDAY | 8 APRIL 2021 pg 5

SHORT TAKES CM Jagan wants TTD TO STOP FREE Jana: KCR renamed schemes DARSHAN FROM Polavaram works APRIL 12 of Congress, fooled people DC CORRESPONDENT put on fast track TIRUPATI, APRIL 7 Dares CM to tell at least one new project completed in Nalgonda DC CORRESPONDENT ● OFFICIALS TOLD Jagan Tirumala Tirupati L. VENKAT RAM holds good. The outcome TRS indulged in gross and continuing the same. VIJAYAWADA, APRIL 7 Mohan Reddy that He failed to implement Devasthanams (TTD) has REDDY | DC of this bypoll will have no EXCLUSIVE misuse of power to defeat Nellore and Sangam bar- decided to temporarily sus- NAGARJUNASAGAR, impact on TRS govern- me in 2018. They went to even the renamed Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan pend issuance of free Sarva APRIL 7 ment. Under this sce- the extent of threatening schemes properly. What Mohan Reddy has instructed rages will be completed by Darshan tokens to devotees nario, let us all confine to beneficiaries of welfare he did new was Rythu officials to speed up works of May. under current booking system Kunduru Jana Reddy, the our homes and leave the schemes that their names Bandhu and Rythu Bima. Polavaram project in the from 12th of this month. It has Congress heavyweight decision to voters whom will be removed from the But he stopped all other next 45 days with emphasis pleted by August to carry taken this decision following and a veteran seven-time to elect. TRS says that list of beneficiaries if financial assistance, sub- on cofferdam, spill channel total 20,000 cusecs of water. Covid-19 cases rising once MLA from Nagarju- they have developed Nag- TRS candidate is not sidy schemes to farmers and concrete works. Officials said Tunnel 1 of again across the country as nasagar (known as arjunasagar constituency elected. Despite this, I like interest free loans, Reviewing works of vari- Veligonda project has been well as in the temple city. Chalakurthy constituen- during its six-year rule lost with a lesser margin pavala vaddi loans. `5 ous irrigation projects at his completed while Tunnel 2 of In a statement on Wednesday, cy until 2009) is facing the and I did nothing in the of 7,700 votes. I was lakh compensation for office in Tadepalli on the project will be built by TTD made it clear that Slotted toughest battle of his last three decades. Let polled 76,000 votes and families of farmers who Wednesday, the CM asked December. Steps are being Sarva Darshan (SSD) tokens political career spanning voters decide who did TRS got 84,0000 votes. commit suicide under officials to also expedite taken to release water will be issued at Bhudevi com- nearly four decades from what. My challenge is This is no mean achieve- the guise of Rythu completion of Nellore and through Veligonda Tunnel 1 plex and Vishnu Nivasam in two new political aimed at this objective ment after continuing to Bandhu and Rythu Bima. Sangam barrages, tunnels 2 by September. They said Tirupati only till the evening entrants from the TRS and nothing else. serve as MLA for 30 The end result is farmers of Owk and Veligonda, apart Vamsadhara Nagavali, of April 11. and the BJP in the In the name of cam- years. are getting the same from Veligonda head regula- Vansadhara Phase 2 and “There has been a spurt in Nagarjunasagar Assem- paigning, the TRS is financial assistance now tors 1 & 2. Stage 2 works will be com- Coronavirus cases in Tirupati bly bypoll on April 17. He deploying tens of minis- K. Jana Reddy Q But opposition par- what they used to get dur- Officials informed the pleted by July. city again. Since thousands of was first elected as MLA ters, dozens of MLAs, ties ridicule that you ing Congress regime. But Chief Minister that works CM Jagan directed officials devotees wait at Bhudevi com- from the Telugu Desam in MLCs, MPs and hundreds ● I WORKED for the are afraid of campaign- Congress built new irri- on Polavaram cofferdam, to resolve pending issues plex and Vishnu Nivasam for 1983. of local elected represen- development of the con- ing as people would gation projects in apart from approach chan- with neighbouring Odisha SSD tokens, the prospect of Barring in 1994 and 2018 tatives from village level stituency and succeeded pose questions on lack Nalgonda district. I dare nel, are progressing at a with regard to construction Covid-19 cases multiplying is Assembly polls, Jana won to district level. In the in solving many issues of development in Chandrashekar Rao to brisk pace and will be com- of Neradi Barrage. He point- Nagarjunasagar dur- tell at least one new proj- likely. Hence, the temple body as MLA for seven terms name of campaigning, faced by the people. My pleted by May. The CM told ed out that considerable has decided to temporarily and served as minister they are luring voters ing your three to four ect launched and com- officials that there is no money could be saved if irri- suspend issuance of free dar- for 17 years, which is a with money, liquor and constituency is unique decades stint as MLA pleted in Nalgonda dis- shortage of funds when it gation projects are complet- shan tokens,” a temple official record of sorts in Telugu other inducements. When and should not be seen and minister and to trict or elsewhere in state comes to implementing ed within the stipulated explained. He pointed out that politics. Jana is depend- they claim that all the like any other constituen- avoid this situation you except misleading people Rehabilitation and time. The Chief Minister Shirdi temple in Maharashtra ing on his clean image development was done by cy, Jana Reddy said. have raked up the issue by completing pending Resettlement (R&R) works said priority should also be has already suspended dar- apart from the sympathy TRS, where is the need of ‘no campaigning’? projects of Congress gov- for those displaced by the given to Mahendra Tanaya, shan for devotees following factor that he lost in the for all this hungama? Let environmental approvals TRS leaders are utter- ernment and renaming project. Madduvalasa Phase 2 and spurt in Covid-19 cases. 2018 elections. Jana us provide an environ- to take up development ing total lies on the devel- them under the guise of Officials told Jagan Mohan Tarakarama Sagar projects. TTD has asked devotees to Reddy is giving an impe- ment to conduct free and programmes is an her- opment of Nagarjuna- redesign of projects. Reddy that Nellore and Reviewing works of take note of this development tus to the campaign reel- fair polls, avoid induce- culean task. Despite this, sagar during my tenure. I Sangam barrages will be Rayalaseema, Palnadu and refrain from visiting coun- ing ut the development ments to voters by confin- I secured permissions to am ready for an open Q The ruling party completed by May. Chemical Drought Mitigation projects, ters in Tirupati till further done by him as an MLA ing to our homes. lay BT roads extending debate with anyone on argues you were rejected pouring works at Owk Jagan Mohan Reddy asked orders. and minister. He is also over 975 kilometres in my this issue. I challenged in 2018 and Tunnel 2 are going on at a officials to prepare an action Just last week, devasthanams challenging the ruling Q But campaigning in constituency which is this several times earlier. Nagarjunasagar people brisk pace and will be com- plan to expedite their works. had resolved to reduce issue of TRS that he would sit at elections is the right higher than Gajwel, But no TRS leader elected Nomula free darshan tokens from home without campaign- and responsibility of Siddipet, Siricilla con- accepts my challenge. If Narasimhaiah for five 22,000 to 15,000 a day. With ris- ing and were they willing political parties in a stituencies represented they have guts, they years until 2023. Due to ing Coronavirus cases, it has to do the same if they democracy? How can by Chandrashekar Rao, should come out with untimely death of decided to suspend them alto- believed in the develop- you find fault with it? Harish Rao and Rama facts and figures on what Narasimhaiah, this gether. ment done by them and I totally agree with this Rao. I could secure development they did and bypoll came and it However, TTD has not made let the voters decide who argument. But unfortu- approval for a drinking I will answer them. would have been ideal Career Chronicle any announcement with is better. In an exclusive nately, the ruling TRS water scheme with `25 Locals in Nagarju- for Jana Reddy to leave regard to continuation or sus- interview to Deccan had completely commer- crore. Entire land in nasagar knew very well the seat to Nomula’s pension of other darshans, Chronicle at his cialised the elections in Nagarjunasagar was what development I did. family instead of con- including the online `300 spe- Nagarjunasagar resi- Telangana ever since it under purview of PWD testing against the cial entry and VIP break. dence, Jana Reddy says assumed office in 2014. but I succeeded in pursu- Q TRS campaigns that wishes of people? why it is important for We never witnessed such ing the government in its welfare schemes and I am ready to quit from people to elect Congress abuse of money power 1983 to provide owner- development pro- this election even today if APHC NOD FOR in the bypoll to save and government machin- ship to the residents of grammes have reached Chandrashekar Rao democracy in Telangana ery in elections as is 2,000 quarters at a nomi- every household and makes a public appeal to MPTC, ZPTC and to check the abuse of being witnessed now. nal payment of `100 at seeking votes in return? my party high command money power in elections There is an urge to Nagarjunasagar. Due to This is yet another lie of to leave the seat to TRS in POLLS TODAY which has become a strengthen democracy in my efforts, penalties TRS. TRS government's the bypoll. I made this norm under TRS regime my challenge but no ill- imposed on people under welfare schemes are proposal earlier also but DC CORRESPONDENT for past six years. intentions. the pretext of unautho- nothing but the continua- there was no response. If VIJAYAWADA, APRIL 7 rised constructions were tion of our previous Chandrashekar Rao Q Why did you offer to Q Your achievements as also cancelled by the state Congress government's makes this appeal, I will Andhra Pradesh High Court contest this bypoll with- seven-time MLA of government in 1985. A welfare schemes which strive to convince my has given a green signal for out campaigning and Nagarjunasagar? residential school was set also reached every house- party high command to conducting elections to zilla challenging the ruling I worked for the devel- up at Nagarjunasagar hold then. It's the withdraw from this parishad and mandal parishad TRS to do the same? opment of the constituen- about 35 years ago. Of the Congress government bypoll. If there is no territorial constituencies as This is just a bypoll. cy and succeeded in solv- three residential schools which introduced pen- response, what can I do? scheduled on Thursday. Congress will neither ing many issues faced by set up in united AP then, sions for poor, free power As a party which made However, it has directed that form the government if it the people. My con- one came up in Nagarjun- to agriculture, crop loan the six-decade long counting of votes should not wins this seat nor stituency is unique and asagar due to my efforts. waiver, Arogyasri, fee dream of statehood to be taken up until the disposal Congress government should not be seen like reimbursement, scholar- Telangana a reality, the of the writ petition. will fall if it loses this any other constituency. It Q Despite this you ships. Congress has every right A division bench, comprising seat because Congress is is surrounded by forests were defeated in 2018 What Chandrashekar to contest any election in Chief Justice Arup Kumar anyways not in power. and irrigation projects election? Rao did was simply Telangana and seek votes Goswami and C. Praveen For TRS too, this theory and getting forest and As a ruling party, the renamed those schemes from people. Kumar, set aside the single judge bench interim stay order and directed the registry to list the petition for April 15 as the single judge bench had fixed it for the next hearing. Bhagat: CM’s work will ensure my win The court observed that the single judge, while granting the interim order, had virtual- Former MLA’s son confident of sympathy factor working in his favour ly allowed the writ petition, though it is still pending dis- DC CORRESPONDENT age and political Nagarjunasagar con- this election? posal and the order was also HALIA, APRIL 7 experience? EXCLUSIVE stituency in 2016 even The development pro- having a ring of finality as a I never expected I will before he was elected grammes and welfare direction was issued to the In the midst of high- get TRS ticket to contest MLA and stayed there till schemes of TRS govern- SEC for issue of fresh notifica- pitched election cam- Nagarjunasagar bypoll he breathed his last and ment have reached every tion for conduct of MPTC and paign in Nagarjunasagar for the same reasons that was accessible to people household in the con- ZPTC polls. The court further Assembly constituency, you have mentioned. But all the time. Now I also stituency. There are over observed that while issuing TRS candidate Nomula Chandrashekar Rao garu reside in the same house. 1.50 lakh beneficiaries of the interim order, the single Bhagat, the son of and working president Now those people should TRS welfare schemes who judge did not consider the deceased MLA Nomula Rama Rao garu stood by answer who are non- pledge and vow to support aspect related to elections held Narasimhaiah, exudes me like my family mem- locals. TRS in the elections. Vot- after the order of the Supreme confidence about his bers after I lost my father. ers want to thank Chand- Court in respect of gram pan- imminent victory in the Whatever development Q What chances do you rashekar Rao garu for chayats and municipal corpo- by-election on the back of issues or welfare schemes stand in this election giving them 24x7 power rations and municipalities, as TRS chief and Chief concerning Nagarjun- where you are pitted supply, 24x7 free power to model code of conduct was not Minister K. asagar constituency I against Congress agriculture, `2,000 to imposed for a period of four Chandrashekar Rao’s took to their notice after strongman Jana Reddy `3,000 Aasar pensions, weeks. The court observed that welfare schemes, develop- my father’s demise, they and the BJP which is `10,000 per acre per year it was of the considered opin- ment programmes and supported me and claiming to repeat Rythu Bandhu, `5 lakh ion that there were con- the goodwill his father addressed those issues Dubbak bypoll result? Rythu Bima and so on. tentious issues to be adjudicat- had earned as TRS leader faster. The tremendous This list is endless if I go ed in the writ petition and con- since 2013 and as They have given same Nomula Bhagat response I have been get- on telling why people will sidering the matter in its Nagarjunasagar MLA prominence to me that ting from the people vote for TRS. Added to entirety, the interim order was from December 2018 to my father used to get as ‘non local’ besides ill- wherever I campaign this, there is sympathy set aside. December 2020. an MLA. They only asked experienced in politics? since March 30 proves factor in my favour. The State Election Such was Bhagat’s con- me to continue the good What’s your take on beyond doubt that my vic- Commission moved a house fidence levels that he says work in the constituency this? tory is certain. I already Q But sympathy factor motion on April 6 with a plea he is focussed on his without thinking about I may be half the age of campaigned in 85 villages failed to work in recent to allow it conduct of elections majority and not victory. bypoll or party ticket and Congress candidate K. and covered three out of Dubbak bypoll? on April 8 as it was resuming a A software engineer- that party leadership will Jana Reddy but age does- six mandals. I will cover The situation and fac- paused election process and turned-advocate, he says take a call on whom to n’t matter for a political all the remaining villages tors in Dubbak and was not conducting polls the sympathy factor give the ticket at the right leader in public life if one and mandals. I noticed Nagarjunasagar are total- afresh. Another petition filed would also work in his time. I had no informa- is sincere and committed everywhere that people ly different. In Dubbak, by the Telugu Desam and other favour. Before stepping tion about getting ticket to serving the people and are keen to vote for TRS BJP won with a slender parties challenged the election into his father’s shoes, 37- until March 29 when I his constituency. I believe and give me an opportu- majority. But mark my notification issued by the SEC year-old Bhagat worked was asked to come to people vote for TRS, nity to serve them to com- words here. BJP will not on April 1 stating that it violat- as a software engineer. He Pragathi Bhavan in Chandrashekar Rao garu plete the balance develop- retain even deposit in ed the Supreme Court direc- did BTech, MBA and Hyderabad while the last and Rama Rao garu in the ment works promised by Nagarjunasagar. I am tion to maintain a four-week LLM, and now is a prac- date to file nomination election and not Bhagat. my late father. For this ready to talk on this after time from the date of issue of tising advocate in the was March 30. It was a They are bigger than me. reason, I am looking at the Nagarjunasagar notification to conduct of polls Telangana High Court. pleasant surprise for me I will act as per the direc- majority and not victory, bypoll result will be out. for implementation of model He joined TRS when Chandrashekar tions of the party leader- which is imminent. code of conduct. in 2014, and participated Rao garu handed over ship. Coming to local and Coming to Jana Reddy Q What you want to SEC’s counsel C.V. Mohan in a recent membership party B-form to me and non local issues, garu, people are question- achieve by winning this Reddy submitted to the court drive by the party. In asked to contest the poll Nagarjunasagar people ing what he will do now if bypoll? that the order of the apex an exclusive interview to on March 29. I cannot already gave a verdict in he wins when he failed to My father could not ful- court should be understood as Deccan Chronicle while express in words how December 2018 by elect- develop the constituency fill some development the maximum period for campaigning in thankful I felt when ing my father as MLA. after winning seven times projects and welfare implementation of poll code Peddavoora mandal in Chandrashekar Rao garu Non local is a non issue as MLA and working as schemes due to corona and said that the SEC did not Pothunuru village, handed over `28 lakh now. Opposition leaders minister for 17 years. lockdown and subsequent implement it either for the Bhagat tells why his vic- cheque along with party or candidates who claim They already rejected fund crunch. Though we local body polls or the munici- tory is a foregone conclu- ticket to meet election themselves as locals Jana Reddy in 2018. BJP never stopped develop- pal polls. He said that though sion. expenditure. These days should realise that they neither has leaders or ment programmes in the the four-week model code of all parties demand money don’t own a house in cadre in Nagarjunasagar. constituency, the pace of conduct was not implemented Q Did you expect to get to give tickets but Nagarjunasagar con- People here never owned works slowed down due to for municipal polls, it was not TRS MLA ticket to con- Chandrashekar Rao garu stituency and they stay in BJP as their party and fund crunch. I want to questioned earlier. test the bypoll given gave money in return. Hyderabad. They only they were polled just speed up and complete the balance works with ● that several noted and That is the greatness of run part-time camp about 2,000 votes in 2018 ● THE SEC moved a house senior local TRS Chandrashekar Rao garu. offices in Assembly polls. the support of CM in my motion on April 6 with a plea leaders were in the race Nagarjunasagar. But my remaining two-and-a-half to allow it conduct of elections and you were inferior to Q Opposition parties father had built his own Q What makes you so years tenure after getting on April 8. them both in terms of campaign that you are a house in Halia in confident of winning elected. EDIT DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | THURSDAY | 8 APRIL 2021 pg 6

8 APRIL 2021

Nurture is the best policy, Subhani but watch out for inflation n the wake of heightened uncertainty caused by the second wave of coro- navirus cases across the world, especially in India, the Reserve Bank of India has left key lending rates unchanged once again and committed to Icontinue an accommodative stance for the monetary policy. This open- ended policy gives comfort to participants in equity and bond markets, in par- ticular, and borrowers, in general. The central bank claimed that rural demand remains buoyant and record agriculture production in 2020-21 bodes well for its resilience. Urban demand, which it said has gained traction, is expected to get a boost with the vaccina- tion drive. Though high-frequency lead and coincident indicators, including the Goods and Service Tax receipts, reveal that economic activity is normal- ising, the six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) preferred to remain cautious about interest rate to support the growth in the economy in view of a surge in The RBI’s announce- coronavirus infections. ment to purchase A low-interest rate regime is considered a LETTERS bonds worth `1 lakh key weapon to revive consumer demand and induce normalcy in the economy. It would As Covid-19 spikes, the FAST-TRACK COURT crore from the affect sectors like construction, automobiles A man accused of rape in secondary market to and consumer durable goods, which will have keep long-term rates a trickle-down effect on the economy. 2011 is being sentenced in in check has attracted Despite a worsening Covid situation in the 2021, 10 years later (Man most praise country, the RBI predicted a 10.5 per cent season of fear is back… sentenced for raping growth in the Indian economy — the elusive woman, DC, April 7). The double-digit growth figure that Indian gov- We need to accept Mukherjee. Ring vacci- nation is where you vac- great news is that this is a ernments have been running after. In support of its favourable assessment of that even in the the economy, the RBI listed three factors — the vaccination programme being Patralekha cinate the surrounding fast-track court that re- speeded up and increasingly extended to the wider segments of the popula- post-inoculated “ring”, or circle of inter- establishes the speed of tion; the gradual release of pent-up demand; and the investment-enhancing Chatterjee world, our public action of anyone who is and growth-supportive reform measures taken by the government. health systems infected or tests posi- our judicial system for the While the policy was broadly appreciated by all economists, the RBI’s have to remain on tive. This includes peo- umpteenth time. announcement to purchase bonds worth `1 lakh crore from the secondary ple who are not eligible K.R.K.S. Murthy market to keep long-term rates in check has attracted most of their praise. The Dev 360 high alert for the by the age-based criteri- move, analysts claimed, would anchor bond yields in the secondary bond foreseeable future on. Hyderabad market. Indian bond yields have risen sharply after finance minister Nirmala oss comes in Even the Union health What is the road Sitharaman proposed to borrow `12 lakh crore in the previous fiscal. After the many forms in ministry is compelled to ahead? Tuesday announcement, the bond yields declined by 0.12 percentage points. the time of the admit that the recent “Taking advantage of “Vaccination is one of PLAN AND ACHIEVE The RBI, however, is concerned about the recurrence of global financial Covid-19 pan- spike in coronavirus the valley of the virus the strategies, but it is It is gratifying that the IMF expects market volatility like the bout experienced in late February, which could demic. There is cases in India is spread- curve, we needed to not the only strategy. We India’s economy to grow at 12.5 per accentuate the downside risks for India. Though the country has enough fire- theL loss of lives and ing faster in the country accelerate the vaccina- should have three-four cent this financial year (India to power in terms of foreign exchange reserves to handle any global volatility, livelihoods; and then compared to last year. tion drive while case strategies working in grow by 12.5%, says IMF, DC, April the central bank must remain vigilant to prevent the repeat of the “2013 US there is the loss of words How did we get here? counts were low instead parall. After we give the 7). All departments in various sec- taper tantrums”. as we understood them The short answer: We of relying on ephemeral vaccine, the adequate tors contributing to the GDP An elevated inflation rate is also a cause of concern for the RBI, though it has once. The “normal” of got here because of com- infection immunity.” antibody response will should plan a target of 13 per cent decided to accord priority to economic growth in the near future. It projected yesteryear may never placency, by ignoring Prof. Mukherjee is not take a few weeks. to 15 per cent growth and put all retail inflation to be around five per cent in the current fiscal, which is one return. early alerts by health the only one who was Second, along with vac- out efforts to achieve them. Even if percentage point higher than the RBI’s mandated four per cent inflation rate. And yet, there were experts. Part of the prob- warning against compla- cination, we need an some departments fail to meet It, however, hinted at a coordinated action by the Centre and states to bring flickers of hope as the lem has also been mixed cency. In February, aggressive testing, their targets, the average growth down tax on petrol and diesel. If the tax on fuel was brought down, it would be new year began. messaging, and the gov- many of India’s leading tracking and isolation would be good. happy news for the common man. Newspapers were full ernment’s reluctance to epidemiologists, like Dr policy. Six months ago, G.V.N. Murthy of stories about the con- accept and communicate Giridhara R. Babu, were it was being done very Hyderabad sistent fall in India’s unpalatable truths. flagging the need to keep aggressively by states, active Covid-19 caseload. Even as government the focus on detection of but we have now become Clear the air on Rafale Antibody surveys health advisories tell Covid cases and clusters lax. If a person tests pos- FIGHT MAOISTS showed that a signifi- ordinary people to in the community. Dr itive, no one really goes The security forces are doing a he new series of reports that has come in the French media about the cant part of the popula- observe social distanc- Babu also listed some of and checks who they great job keeping Maoist activities alleged kickbacks in the `59,000 crore deal between the governments of tion in major cities — ing, avoid big crowds the imperatives at pri- have come in contact under check (Need to rethink strat- TIndia and France to buy 36 Rafale medium multi-role combat aircraft is including New Delhi — and wear masks at all mary health centres — with, and we fail to egy to tackle Maoist menace, DC, disquieting. As per the report in Mediapart, a Paris-based investigative web- had already been times, there is ample evi- testing needed to be break the chain of trans- April 7). However, Maoists still site, France’s anti-corruption agency National Financial Prosecutor’s Office, exposed to the virus, dence of many politi- available, ditto for noti- mission,” Dr Randeep manage to attack our forces. or Parquet National Financier (PNF), had in 2017 reported about the suspi- raising hopes of a slow- cians on the campaign fication within 24 hours, Guleria, director of the Whenever it happens, we blame cious payment of half a million euros to an Indian middleman for making ing spread. On January trail doing just the oppo- quick contact tracing, All India Institute of them. This is unfair. All parties models of the fighter jets. The same middleman is under investigation by 16 this year, India rolled site. genomic sequencing of Medical Sciences, must rise above their narrow loy- Indian agencies for his role in the Agusta Westland helicopter deal, which is out the world’s largest One telling example: clusters and vulnerabili- recently told a national alties and in the larger interests of also mired in controversy and corruption. The French agency did not pursue vaccination drive Assam health minister ty assessment. “The newspaper. the nation, unite to declare the case and closed the complaint filed by a well-known anti-corruption NGO against the SARS-CoV-2 Himanta Biswa Sarma, number of deaths occur- There is an obvious Maoists as enemies and fight them. “Sherpa”, the reports said. virus, which causes the who recently said there ring in hospitals should need to identify areas K. Srinivasa Charyulu The government of India had in 2015 cancelled the negotiations between pub- Covid-19 pandemic. In was no need to wear be reported daily. The where surges are taking Hyderabad lic sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Dassault Aviation, the makers the first phase, the prior- masks in the state as number of Covid-19 place, develop them into of Rafale, for the purchase of 126 aircraft. The protracted discussions, started ity was inoculating there was no coron- deaths occurring in the containment zones, test in 2012, were about to close, according to the then CEO of Dassault, when healthcare and frontline avirus there anymore. community should also everyone in that area, PM’S JIBES Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a new deal to buy 36 aircraft. The workers. Then it Even as one writes, be reported daily and isolate those who are Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government blunted criticism against the deal that it violated the defence pro- expanded to the public, huge crowds continue to reviewed regularly at positive, quarantine continuous attack on TMC chief curement procedure by stating that it was a government-to-government deal. taking age and co-mor- gather at election rallies different levels,” Dr those who have come in Mamata Banerjee is awkward The Supreme Court also did not find merit in the plea that there were politi- bidities into considera- in many states as well as Babu tweeted on close contact with (TMC will cease to exist in WB: cal intervention and corruption in the deal that required to be investigated. It tion. More than 8.31 at religious gatherings. February 23. patients and test them Modi, DC, April 7). He must wait is clear that there need be no middleman in a government-to-government deal crore jabs have been How did we slip up? Although it is late, after five to seven days, for the results and respect the vot- but the latest revelation raises questions about the very claim the government given so far. Prof. Bhramar Mukh- identifying excess and not allow people ers choice. No Prime Minister has had advanced. There had already been suspicions about the government’s But the season of fear erjee, a biostatistician at deaths earlier can save from that area to go to ever acted in such a way. ignorance about Dassault’s choice of Reliance Defence as its Indian partner to is back. the University of Mi- more lives. Instead of another area, as Dr Zakaria Sultan meet its commitment as per the offset clause in the deal. The government will Infections started to chigan in the United addressing these impor- Guleria suggests. Hyderabad have to consider instituting an investigation by a credible agency or even a shoot up several few States, who has been tant but active contain- See-sawing between judicial commission to clear the air instead of allowing every fresh contro- weeks ago, particularly tracking India’s coron- ment efforts, the tenden- laxity and lockdown is versy to become a stick to beat it with. in Maharashtra. Now, avirus outbreak, told me cy is to push often pas- not a solution. It will the daily rise in Covid-19 she had tweeted about sive mitigation mea- destroy both lives and 50 YEARS AGO IN cases in the country has the uptick on February sures such as lock- livelihoods. We need to crossed 100,000, from 18. But when she men- downs, seal-downs and accept that even in the DECCAN CHRONICLE 20,000 infections in less tioned this to her close curfews, he had pointed post-inoculated world, than a month. Mumbai, family and friends at out. our public health sys- KAUSHIK MITTER K. SUDHAKAR Editor Printer & Publisher India’s financial capital, that time, they thought Now, we are hearing a tems have to remain on is among the 10 districts “I was crying wolf”, she lot about new variants of high alert for the fore- 360 villages reduced DECCAN CHRONICLE offices are located at: in the country with the says. the virus, but how close- seeable future. “The his- to ashes in East Pak highest number of new “The public sentiment ly are we tracking them? tory of infectious dis- Hyderabad: 36, Sarojini Devi Road, Secunderabad - 500 003, Ph: 040-27803930-4; Fax : 040-27805256 Covid-19 cases. Delhi, that Covid is no longer Arguably, the biggest eases tells us that out- JESSORE, APRIL. 7 Vijayawada: No.C-3 & 4 Patamata, Industrial Estate, Auto Nagar, Vijayawada (A.P.), Ph: 0866- the national capital, is an issue, with even the challenge of this pan- breaks can happen even Hordes of marauding Pakistani 2555284/2555287; Telefax: 0866-2555234 not as badly hit as more cautious people demic is negotiating the after a high degree of commandoes have blazed a trail Visakhapatnam: Survey No.1/3A Beach Road, Near Kailasagiri Ropeway, Sector-9 MVP Colony, sea of unknowns. But vaccination. You have to Visakhapatnam - 530 017 (A.P), Ph: 0891-2552333/2552334; Fax: 0891-2755285 Mumbai as of now, but letting their guard of death and desolation along this Rajahmundry: Vemagiri, Dhawaleswaram Rd, Rajahmundry, Ph: 0883-2417618/2417208; Telefax: 0883- from this week, night down, has certainly con- even so, many things track each case and con- black-topped road which con- 2417208 curfew has been tributed to this after- could have been done, tact trace,” as Prof. nects the two ravished cities of Anantapur: Thapovan colony, Bangalore By-Pass Road, Anantapur - 515004, Ph: 08554-276903; Fax: imposed on the city. math,” says Prof. say experts. Mukherjee points out. Dacca and Jessore. 08554-276904 Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, Mukherjee. She also “We could have started During my 50-mile-long journey Karimnagar: Survey No.1341, Vavilalapally Colony, Jagityala Road, Karimnagar - 505 001, Ph: 0878- along with peri-urban points out that the sero- intensified vaccination The writer focuses on on the palm-fringed road, I count- 2228908; Telefax: 0878-2220433 areas, have recorded a survey results gave a and ring vaccination in development issues in ed 360 roadside villages reduced Nellore: Survey No.527/2, Burranpur Village, Venkatachalam (M), Chemmudugunta Panchayat, Nellore, sharp spike in Covid false complacency and a high transmission areas India and emerging to ashed by bands of West Ph: 0861-2348581/82; Telefax: 0861-2348580 cases recently; the fear false sense of security, as an exception to the Chennai: SP-3 Developed Plot, Industrial Estate, Guindy, Chennai - 600 032, Ph: 044-22254747/ 48/50/51; economies. She can be Pakistani troopers who are firm- Advt Fax: 22254765/22254766/42305325 is that the infection may thinking that we are general 45+ or 65+ rule reached at ly garrisoned in the Jessore Coimbatore: 77, Vivekananda Road, Ramnagar, Coimbatore - 641 009, Ph : 0422 2231255 spread from these small nearing infection- followed for the rest of patralekha.chatterjee Cantonment. Gram: CHRONICLE Postal registration no: No. H/SD-348/2006-08 towns to rural areas. induced herd immunity. the country,” says Prof. @gmail.com.

HE danger that misleading or eration of misinformation. While the gives the purveyors of false stories and ly used ‘alternative facts’ and manipu- even sowing public disorder. false information poses to soci- global health crisis has seen a stream trolls the comfort that they will not be lated opinion by espousing conspiracy Also, as president Barack Obama ety has been grimly demon- of false stories the reality is that fake held accountable for the lies or hate theories and fabricating threats to fur- once famously remarked “fake news is Tstrated during the ongoing news is all around us today. This pre- messages they disseminate. Anyone ther his political career. But he wasn’t a threat to democracy”. When political Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the deadly sents new challenges to social stability can post fake news on social media alone. Demagogues and their followers debate is degraded by falsehoods and threat from the virus, many people’s in what has been called the post-truth without fear of retribution. across the world have employed simi- bereft of reason, democracy is jeapar- Maleeha response across the world has often era, a term that emerged a few years Facebook and Twitter have been the lar means for political gain, playing on dised. By playing off and reinforcing been shaped by misinformation fed ago. object of mounting global criticism for people’s vulnerabilities by communi- polarisation, narratives based on Lodhi through digital platforms. This has Fake news is of course not new. this reason. Despite the raging contro- cating falsehoods. untruths that demonise “the other” either made them trivialise the disease Disinformation has been used by coun- versy over their role, social media A plausible connection has also been corrode a sense of community and are or resort to “cures” without any basis tries against adversaries throughout giants who wield immense power made between the prevalence of fake deeply divisive. Trust also declines in in science and only because they were history. What distinguishes fake news have yet to undertake effective self- news and political polarisation. This is public institutions as misleading infor- circulated in social messaging as a from propaganda is that individuals regulation. A Unesco report notes that because in polarised society and poli- mation often sows doubts and cyni- ‘remedy’. Vaccine hesitancy in many and non-state actors are now using it steps taken are at best “patchy”. As tics people choose to believe what their cism. The pernicious effects of hate parts of the world has also largely been with abandon in the digital age. This Timothy Garton Ash once wrote in partisan side transmits or what speech, harassment, online extremism Uncivil society: driven by rumour and conspiracy makes it unprecedentedly pervasive. The Guardian, these digital platforms accords with their own views. They and lies spread against minorities need theories. What explains the omnipresence of have become “unprecedentedly pow- only listen to news media or follow no elaboration. This prompted the World Health fake news today? It is generally agreed erful amplifiers of lies” and “the prof- online sites which echo their own bias. How these dangers can be mitigated Organisation early in the pandemic to that this has much to do with the pro- it motive pushes them towards the Living in information or digital ‘bub- is an imposing challenge of our times. Is regulation coin the term “infodemic” to refer to liferation of information channels and dark side, via algorithmic maximiza- bles’ makes them susceptible to any- Solutions offered range from greater the flood of information and exponen- expansion of social media in the digital tion of the currency of attention”. In thing disseminated by their chosen online regulation, increased monitor- tial spread of fabricated content. The era. Communication technology now fact, their business model prevents information channel, true or false. ing and oversight by social media com- alone enough to head of WHO, Tedros Adhanom, dominates our lives like never before. them from instituting real checks on The harmful repercussions of the panies to removing toxic content and declared: “We’re not just battling the Online platforms are widely regarded divisive content and “digital fake news phenomenon are manifold. ending user anonymity. How effective virus, we’re also battling the trolls and as the main vehicles for the spread of wildfires”. An environment where truth is they can be remains to be seen. conspiracy theorists that push misin- misinformation. Fake news easily cir- The spread of fake news has also been blurred can have far-reaching conse- Regulating technology is one thing but curb fake news? formation and undermine the out- culates due to the magnifying power of linked to the rise of populist leaders quences — misleading people, damag- it is uncivil human behaviour that break response.” Top UN officials social media and becomes viral in this who feel no compunction in knowingly ing social cohesion by eroding a sense really needs to change. repeatedly warned of the grave social mostly unregulated environment. selling fact-free narratives. Trump per- of shared interest, debasing politics, and health ramifications of the prolif- Anonymity on social media platforms fected the politics of lies. He conscious- undermining civic obligations, and By arrangement with Dawn NATION DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | THURSDAY | 8 APRIL 2021 pg 7

SHORT TAKES SC to hear Centre’s plea to COP SUSPENDED FOR DANCING IN close case on Italian marines UNIFORM PARMOD KUMAR | DC ● CJI BOBDE had, during Chief Master Sergeant AKSHAYA KUMAR NEW DELHI, APRIL 7 the August 6, 2020, hearing Massimiliano Latorre and SAHOO | DC of the matter when Centre Sergeant Major Salvatore BHUBANESWAR, APRIL 7 The Centre on Wednesday Girone — are facing prose- moved the Supreme Court had approached the top cution for killing two An assistant sub-inspector of seeking to bring down the court for closing the case, Indian fishermen from police has been suspended curtains on the nearly said, the fact is there is a Kerala in 2012 mistaking after a video showing five decade old Italian marine criminal charge being tried them as pirates. cops, including a woman home case relating to the killing here in India where the vic- The two marines were on guard, in uniform dancing to of two Indian fishermen, tims’ families are also board Italian ship Enrica the tune of a popular Odia telling the top court that it appearing. Without apply- Lexie when they shot the song inside a police station in was an “urgent” issue ing for withdrawal of pros- two fishermen off Kochi Odisha’s Jajpur district has between India and Italy. ecution before the trial port. gone viral on social media, an As solicitor general In the August 6 hearing of officer said. Tushar Mehta in a “men- court, how can you come the matter, the court had In the video, the faces and tioning” urged the court to before the top court? Why asked the Centre to implead uniforms of the dancing police deal with the matter, Chief don’t you apply for with- the families of the victim personnel are seen smeared in Justice Sharad A. Bobde drawal there? fishermen and pay them colours while other employees heading a bench also com- ● adequate compensation of the Panikoili police station prising Justice A.S. WHILE ASKING the court before the curtains could be are seen clapping and cheering Bopanna and Justice V. to deal with the matter, brought on the case. Chief the five while performing Ramasubramanian remind- Mehta informed the bench Justice Bobde had said, Nagin dance. ed him that in the hearing that the families of the vic- “You have to ensure ade- The incident which violated of the matter on August 6, tims have been paid com- quate compensation. You rules may have taken place on 2020, the court had asked pensation. bring the cheque here and the occasion of the Holi festi- the Centre to get the orders we will hand it over to the val, Jajpur superintendent of for withdrawal of the case before the trial court, how victims’ families.” police (SP) Rahul PR said. Sister of CRPF Commando Rakeshwar Singh Manhas reacts during a protest, demanding his release from the from the trial court. can you come before the top The issue of whether the Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) captivity of Maoists, in Jammu on Wednesday. — PTI CJI Bobde had, during the court? Why don’t you apply Italian marines will be tried Sanjay Dash was placed under August 6, 2020, hearing of for withdrawal there?” in India or in Italy was suspension after preliminary the matter when Centre had However, the court today adjudicated by the Hague inquiry, he said. approached the top court agreed to hear the Centre’s based International “We have launched a probe for closing the case, said, plea on Friday. Tribunal on Law of the Sea and action will be taken “The fact is there is a crimi- While asking the court to (ITLOS). On May 21, 2020, it against the other police per- nal charge being tried here deal with the matter, Mehta ruled that two marines will sonnel involved in the incident Maoists show jawan’s in India where the victims’ informed the bench that the face trial in Italy. India has on the basis of the inquiry families are also appearing. families of the victims have already conveyed to the top report,” the SP said. Without applying for with- been paid compensation. court that it has accepted An unidentified person cap- drawal of prosecution Two Italian marines — the ITLOS ruling. tured the video and posted it on social media. photo to claim custody ACCUSED IN HONEY DKSZC wants govt to nominate interlocutors for talks Waze names two TRAP CASE HELD RABINDRA NATH CHOUDHURY | DC AFTER TWO YEARS RAIPUR, APRIL 7 Photograph of commando ministers in letter RABINDRA NATH The Maoists on CHOUDHURY | DC Wednesday released a Bipin Rawat SHAHAB ANSARI | DC to reverse the reinstatement. BHOPAL, APRIL 7 picture to establish that MUMBAI, APRIL 7 Apparently, then it was the jawan missing in the 1-yr-old; could be ploy: Kin ordered by (NCP president) One of the accused in the infa- April 3 Naxalite ambush CHINA CAPABLE OF In yet another major setback Sharad Pawar to again place mous honey trapping and on the security forces in YUSUF JAMEEL | DC Chhattisgarh’s Sukma faced on social media to the Uddhav Thackeray me under suspension. That, blackmailing racket that sur- Terram area on the SRINAGAR, APRIL 7 and Bijapur districts on with the message that he government, arrested cop at that time the then faced in September, 2019 was Sukma-Bijapur border in Saturday. As many as 22 is safe in captivity is CYBER ATTACK ON Sachin Waze on Wednesday home minister sir on Wednesday arrested in a Chhattisgarh’s south The family of the security personnel were almost a year-old. “I had submitted a five-page letter (Deshmukh) also told me village in Madhya Pradesh. Bastar region has been Central Reserve Police killed and many more seen it on his phone dur- INDIA, SAYS CDS in the court naming Anil that he will convince Pawar Rupa Ahirwar was arrested held hostage by them. Force (CRPF) jawan who injured during the ing his last visit to Deshmukh and Shiv Sena saheb and for that purpose by the special investigation This development went missing during a encounter. However, the home,” he told reporters. PAWAN BALI | DC minister Anil Parab. he (Hm sir) asked me to pay team (SIT) constituted to comes hours after the deadly encounter with CRPF’s Director He added that releasing NEW DELHI, APRIL 7 The handwritten letter `2 crore (Syc.),” Waze probe the sensational case in Dandakaranya Special the Naxalite–Maoist mil- General, Kuldiep Singh, the photograph through claims while Deshmukh claimed in the handwritten her village of Panautha in Zonal Committee itants in Chhattisgarh at had claimed inflicting a social networking plat- Chief of Defence Staff asked Waze to collect money letter. Chhatarpur district, police (DKSZC) of the outlawed the weekend has said huge losses on the form could be a “ploy” by General Bipin Rawat from bars and restaurants, Waze claimed that at a said. Rupa had been abscond- CPI (Maoist) issued a that his photograph Maoists. He also said Maoists. said on Wednesday that Parab gave him the task to meeting in the state’s ing for the last two years. She press release confirming doing the rounds on an there is no confirmation He echoed the senti- China is capable of laun- collect money from BMC Sahyadri guest house, Parab was suspected to be an accom- that the missing CoBRA instant messaging plat- yet that Manhas has been ment of Manhas’ family ching cyber attacks on contractors. had asked him to look into a plice of Arti Dayal, one of the commando, Rakeshwar form is almost 12 months held captive by Maoists. and friends and said, India which can disrupt The letter also mentions complaint related to the key accused in the scandal. Singh Manhas, was in old. The missing contable’s “Our anxiety is increas- “large amount of our names of Sharad Pawar and Saifee Burhani Upliftment The racket came to light their custody as a “pris- It rejected the claims family members, friends ing with every passing systems.” He said that Ajit Pawar (confirmation Trust (SBUT) which was when an engineer of Indore oner” and that he was that it was snapped and and neighbours held a hour. We’re concerned the biggest differential awaited on this). However, under preliminary enquiry. Municipal Corporation safe. released by Maoists after protest demonstration about his safety and between India and China the judge refused to accept SBUT is a non-profit organi- Harbhajan Singh lodged a The press release taking CRPF’s along the Jammu- security and urge the lies in the field of cyber. the handwritten letter and sation tasked with carrying complaint with the local police issued by DKSZC Rakeshwar Singh Poonch National government to take swift Gen Rawat said that asked him to follow the pro- out a mega redevelopment station on September 19, 2019 spokesman Vikalp late Manhas, a resident of Highway on Wednesday, and stern action to India is trying to develop cedure, which means he project in the Bhendi Bazaar alleging that a woman mem- on Tuesday evening Jammu, “captive”. demanding his safe secure his return and some kind of relation- would be required to record area of south Mumbai. ber of the racket was black- asked the government to Manhas went missing release and strong action against the Maoists.” ship with Western natio- his statement under section Parab had asked him to mailing him for money. nominate interlocutors after a joint team of the against Maoists. His A report said that sev- ns to see how better we 164 of CrPC. bring the trustees of the Police conducted a series of to negotiate the release CRPF and two other cousin Praveen Singh eral journalists in Chhat- can get support from th- In the letter, Waze claimed SBUT to him for “negotia- raids in the houses of the of the “hostage”. security forces clashed Manhad said that the tisgarh received the em at least during peace that Deshmukh had tion” about the enquiry, accused in the case and seized “The jawan will be safe with Maoists at the bor- photograph of the miss- photo on their WhatsApp time which will help us demanded `2 crore from him Waze claimed. laptop, mobile phones, pen as long as he is in our ders between ing jawan that has sur- on Wednesday. to overcome the differen- to continue his service in The suspended officer fur- drives and other electronic custody”, the press tial in technology with the Mumbai police and ther claimed that Parab had gadgets containing objection- release said. China. “While we are Parab asked him to collect- asked him to collect `2 crore able materials. The picture released by said the photo looked old location has been identi- ment, local AAP leader trying to create firewalls money from some contrac- from each of the controver- Around 4,000 sleaze videos the Maoists shows the and he seemed to have no fied. But they refused to Soni Sori has volun- for cyber attacks yet we tors in Mumbai. sial BMC contractors. and audios, sex chats and pho- CoBRA commando sit- injury either in the pic- elaborate further in the teered to negotiate the are quite sure that they “I duly was reinstated in He also claimed that tographs showing some influ- ting on a green tarpaulin ture. interest of his security. release of the missing will be able to break thr- service on June 6, 2020. That he refused to follow ins- ential people who included in a makeshift hut made A senior police officer The issue figured in the jawan with his captors. ough the cyberwalls and soon after my reinstatement tructions by both the minis- bureaucrats and politicians in of dry palm leaves, possi- posted in Bastar told this state Cabinet meeting The “self-appointed” firewalls and we will ha- there were certain agitators ters. compromising position with bly in a forest. The jawan newspaper the police chaired by Chhattisgarh interlocutor told the ve cyber attacks. But wh- some members of the racket. seemed in a relaxed was verifying the Chief Minister Bhupesh media before venturing at we are trying to do is Four women and one man mood in the photo as authenticity of the pho- Baghel on Wednesday. into the forest, “My main how long will your syst- were arrested in connection there was absolutely no tograph and trying to Baghel indicated efforts objective is to identify em be down and how will with the scandal and they sign of anxiety on his identify the location of were on to secure the the location where you able to operate thro- were currently lodged in jail face as usually seen in the missing jawan. missing jawan’s safe the jawan is held hostage ugh that phase of cyber Kerala: Youth killed in Indore. the case of a hostage. Sources, meanwhile, release. and what is his attack that you have be- The jawan’s colleagues said the missing jawan’s In another develop- condition”. en put through,” he said. in post-poll clash

POLL | TIME BJP will win 63 to 68 seats in 91 constituencies, says Shah; Won’t cross 30: Mamata Kannur (Kerala), April 7: es, the shocking incident A 22-year-old Youth League happened when a clash activist, who was seriously broke out in Paral area in injured in a post-poll clash Koothuparamba constituen- allegedly between workers cy over allegations of bogus of the CPM and the IUML in voting by around 8 pm on Shah, Didi predict WB poll results this district, died on Tuesday. Wednesday, even as political A group of people waylaid RAJIB CHOWDHURI violence erupted in many Manusur and his brother KOLKATA, APRIL 7 parts of Kerala after the cul- Muhsin, a UDF poll agent, CRPF working at mination of crucial assem- near their home and hurled Union home minister Amit bly election. bombs at them before attack- Shah and West Bengal The deceased identified as ing the youth with sharp Chief Minister Mamata Mansur, a native of Chokli weapons, they said. Banerjee on Wednesday behest of BJP: Didi here, had suffered critical Muhsin, who also sus- competed with each other injuries to his leg and was tained serious injuries, was in putting their parties RAJIB CHOWDHURI | DC She had urged them not to admitted to a private hospi- rushed to the private hospi- ahead of their opponents in with agency inputs allow their votes to get split tal in Kozhikode, where he tal in Kozhikode. the last three phases of the NEW DELHI/KOLKATA, among different political was declared dead by the Some of their family mem- Assembly election in the APRIL 7 parties. Banerjee has been doctors, police said. bers including women, who state. asked to respond to the EC’s An alleged CPM activist were injured in the melee While Shah predicted that West Bengal Chief notice within the next 48 was taken into custody by were admitted to a hospital the BJP would won any- Minister Mamata Banerjee hours. the police soon after the inci- at Thalassery. thing in between 63 and 68 on Wednesday accused The notice said the poll dent, sources said. “They attacked me after seats out of the 91 con- Central paramilitary panel had received a com- The Youth league is the asking and confirming my stituencies, Banerjee made forces, especially the CRPF, plaint from a BJP delega- youth wing of the Indian name. My brother was a forecast that the of harassing voters at the tion alleging that on April 3 Union Muslim League injured when he tried to stop Trinamul Congress would behest of the BJP and Banerjee appealed to (IUML), a key ally of the them from attacking me,” bag majority of the seats. asked voters not to deterred Muslim voters not to let opposition Congress- led Muhsin told a television Shah, who led multiple by their intimidation but to their votes get split among United Democratic Front channel from the hospital on roadshows including one at gherao them and lodge FIR different political parties. (UDF). Wednesday. a key seat: Singur in against them if they foment “Kanyashree, Kanyashr- According to local witness- — PTI Hooghly for BJP candidate trouble in the remaining ee, there are scholarships Rabindranath Bhatta- TMC MP Abhishek banerjee during a roadshow in support of party candidate Manoj five phases of Assembly up to the university. There charya, also a TMC turn- Tiwari for Assembly polls, at Kadamtala in Howrah district on Wednesday. — PTI elections in West Bengal. is Shishashree for SCs and coat, said, “Three phases of She also alleged 10 mu- STs. For the general catego- polls have been held in Teasing Chief Minister’s roadshow at Shibpur in the Jharkhand but got 25 out of rders in this election and ry there is Swami Vivekan- West Bengal so far. The BJP nephew Abhishek city. 81. In Maharashtra, he urged the EC to ensure that anda Scholarship. There is has already taken a lead by Banerjee, the star cam- Addressing a TMC rally bragged about winning there is no further blood Aikyashree for my brothers winning 63-68 seats out of paigner of the BJP, Shah in Jadavpur of South two-third of the seats but bath and no public harass- and sisters belonging to the the 91 ahead of the TMC, asked the crowd during a Kolkata, Banerjee mocked got one-third finally. In ment by Central forces. minority community and I Communists and Congress. roadshow at Mullickfatak Shah’s forecast while giv- New Delhi, they got eight Hours after the TMC have given it to 2 crores and On May 2 the BJP will in Howrah, “Do you want a ing reference to his party’s out of 70 despite claiming chief's controversial appeal 35 lakh beneficiaries. I am emerge as the winner with government of Tolabaj performance in the recent of getting all. Today he pre- to voters issued at a party requesting my minority more than 200 seats to form (extortion), syndicate raj past in the states. dicted again. According to rally in Coochbehar North brothers and sisters with it’s government in the and Bhatija Kalyan “In 2018, he claimed that me, they will hardly get 25- Assembly constituency in folded hands don’t divide state. Banerjee’s frustra- (nephew welfare)? The BJP would win 65 seats in 30 seats with the help of north Bengal, the EC issued the minority votes after lis- tion is getting reflected in Goondaism in Bengal is Chhattisgarh but his party CPM. Moreover we lost in a notice to her for an earlier tening to the devil person her speech and behaviour. run by Bhaipo.” He ended up with 15. Next year these seats across Bankura appeal she allegedly made who had taken money from This confirms the BJP’s attacked Banerjee since he he talked of getting an and Purulia earlier,” she to Muslim voters while the BJP,” the notice quoted victory.” was also then leading a absolute majority in said. campaigning in Hooghly. Banerjee as saying. NATION DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | THURSDAY | 8 APRIL 2021 pg 8 Maha faces jab crunch State left with only three days of vaccine stock, says minister BHAGWAN PARAB | DC MUMBAI, APRIL 7 RAIPUR IMPOSES Maharashtra, the worst Coronavirus-affected 10-DAY FULL state in the country, is facing acute shortage of LOCKDOWN Covid vaccines. Maharashtra health RABINDRA NATH minister Rajesh Tope CHOUDHURY | DC has expressed fear that RAIPUR, APRIL 7 Covid vaccination drive in the state might come Chhattisgarh govern- to a halt due to lack of ment on Wednesday supply from the Centre. announced to impose 10- According to Tope, the day complete lockdown state is left with only in Raipur district from three days of vaccine April 9 amid record stock. Due to the short- surge in Coronavirus age, several vaccination cases in the state. centres across the state The total shutdown have been shut down will be in force from six and people had to be in the evening of April sent back. 9, an order issued by the “We are now left with People, not adhering to social distancing norms, at Sadar Bazar in New Delhi Raipur district adminis- only 14 lakh doses, on Wednesday, amid Coronavirus pandemic. — PTI tration on Wednesday which would last for said. only three days. We have accepted it as a chal- ciaries a day. which is mandatory to Essential services and requested the Centre to lenge and increased the Mumbai Mayor develop a strong immu- shops will, however, send more vaccines to daily vaccination num- Kishori Pednekar too nity against Covid,” remain open during the Maharashtra,” said bers to 4,50,000 from claimed that there is a Pednekar added. lockdown period, the Tope on Wednesday. 3,00,000. We will soon shortfall of Covid vac- Since the beginning of order said. The demand to the achieve the target of cines in the city. “The the vaccination drive on The order comes in the Centre was made in a inoculating 6,00,000 peo- vaccine stock in January 16, Maharas- wake of Raipur record- video conference meet- ple daily. However, we Mumbai is about to get htra has received 1.06 ing the biggest single- ing chaired by Union have started facing over. We are giving most crore doses of Covid day spike (2,281) in minister of health and shortage of vaccine of the doses to govern- vaccine and vaccinated Coronavirus cases since family welfare Harsh stock and have to shut ment hospitals. We only nearly 82 lakh people. the pandemic broke out Vardhan. Tope attended down many centres have 1.76 lakh The state’s vaccine in March last year, on the meeting along with across the state as there Covishield doses left,” wastage is about three April 6. health ministers from is no stock left,” the she said. “The centre per cent. Raipur has recorded six other states on health minister said. needs to give us more However, the Union 26 deaths in the last 24 Tuesday. Maharashtra tops the stocks as soon as possi- health minister dis- hours. “Union minister chart of vaccination ble or it will be difficult missed Maharashtra’s Chief minister Prakash Javadekar had drive in the country by to administer second claims and said the state Bhupesh Baghel on asked us to double the inoculating the highest doses. In case there is a government is trying to Wednesday called a vaccination numbers number of beneficiar- shortage, people would divert attention from its ministerial meeting to and had assured to pro- ies. Currently, it is vac- not be able to set the sec- failure to control spread take stock of the pan- vide adequate stock. We cinating 4,50,000 benefi- ond dose of the vaccine of Covid. demic situation. EX-PDP LEADERS Water cannon DIDN’T LEAVE AS MINISTERS: MUFTI used to disperse DC CORRESPONDENT SRINAGAR, APRIL 7 farmers in Sirsa As more people have quit People’s Sirsa (Haryana), Singh Saini’s car in Democratic Party (PDP) April 7: Police used a Kurukshetra district’s over the past couple of water cannon on Shahabad on Tuesday, weeks, its president and Wednesday to disperse smashing its wind- former chief minister a group of farmers, screen as he was about Mehbooba Mufti on who allegedly tried to to leave a party work- Wednesday took a jibe go past barricades er’s home, the police at them asking “They when local MLA Gopal had said. didn’t leave when we Kanda arrived to cast Farmers had held a made them ministers”. his vote for the munici- protest against the She said everything pal council chairman’s chief minister in was good with the PDP post in this Haryana Rohtak on Saturday, and its leadership and, district. resulting in a lath- in fact, these people The farmers, protest- icharge by the police preferred it for they ing against the Centre’s and forcing authorities were ministers, MLAs new farm laws, gath- to shift the landing site and even Parliament ered near the spot for Khattar’s helicopter. members while being where the police had Farmers had also held in it. put up barricades and a protest against She was, during an raised slogans against deputy chief minister interaction with media Kanda, the president of Dushyant Chautala out- persons, responding to the Haryana Lokhit side the Hisar airport the query as to why peo- Party. last week. ple are leaving the PDP. Kanda had voted These incidents are She said, “How can I against a no-confidence the latest in a series of answer this question. motion brought against protests by farmers Ask those who left. I the Manohar Lal against the ruling BJP- think it is for them to Khattar government in JJP coalition leaders in answer as they would the state Assembly by Haryana. explain it in a better the main opposition Meanwhile, Haryana way whether they left Congress last month. Bharatiya Kisan Union out of somebody’s pres- Farmer leaders had leader Gurnam Singh sure or due to some- earlier said they would Chaduni said the farm- thing else”. continue with their ers will continue with She then said, “They “peaceful social boy- their social boycott of didn’t leave when we cott” of the leaders of the leaders of the BJP made them ministers, the Bharatiya Janata and its allies. MLAs and even Rajya Party (BJP) and its He, however, appealed Sabha members. I don’t allies. Sirsa Deputy to the farmers to ensure know whether they are Superintendent of that the protests are leaving out of some- Police Aryan peaceful. body’s pressure or Chaudhary said the Chaduni claimed that something else. She protesters attempted to leaders of the BJP and added that the People’s go past the barricades its allies have stepped Democratic Party (PDP) when the police tried to up their public visits in is “facing challenging stop them. recent days, despite times as does Jammu Protesting farmers knowing that they will and Kashmir”. blocked BJP MP Nayab face a boycott. — PTI Huge crowds unlikely for ‘dip in Ganga’ at Kumbh Rishikesh, April 7: area of 670 hectares Arjun Sengar said. Kumbh Mela officials from Haridwar to Devpr- A total of 12 labs for have made all arrange- ayag to maintain law testing samples and a ments for the three key and order and ensure dedicated Covid hospital bathing dates on the that the anti-Covid pro- with 550 beds is also banks of Ganga but said tocol is strictly followed. ready, he said. they do not expect any Held every 12 years Meanwhile, seers rep- huge turnout of devo- from January to April, resenting 13 Akhadas tees due to anti-Covid this year’s Kumbh has have also been asked to restrictions imposed been curtailed to just encourage devotees and amid the rising cases of one month from April 1 their disciples and fol- infection. to 30 due to the surge in lowers to take anti- “We always make Covid cases in many Covid precautions. arrangements for the states including Garhwal Commi- Kumbh in accordance Uttarakhand which is ssioner Ravinath Raman with the largest estimat- reporting more than 500 also said following the ed turnouts. So, we are cases daily. During the SOPs issued by the cen- well prepared to tackle month, the three major tral and state govern- any situation, Mela IG bathing days (shahi ments because of the Sanjay Gunjyal said. snan or royal baths) fall second wave of infection But with the second on April 12, 14 and 27. is the only effective safe- wave of Coronavirus Top priority is being guard against the virus. infection getting accorded to stop the People are being made stronger and the SOPs spread of the Coronav- to adhere strictly to anti- in force, we don’t expect irus infection during the Covid protocols in com- huge crowds on the religious congregation pliance with the orders ghats on the Shahi Snan with RT-PCR tests of of the Uttarakhand HC days,” he added. devotees being conduct- which has made it com- Over 12,000 police and ed at 30 places in Kumbh pulsory for devotees to 400 paramilitary force area which is spread bring a negative RT-PCR personnel are keeping over 670 hectares from test report not older th- an eye on Kumbh Haridwar to Devprayag, an 72 hours with them, Kshetra spread over an Mela official (Medical) Raman said. — PTI WORLD DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | pg 9 THURSDAY | 8 APRIL 2021 Indonesian landslide death toll rises to 140 Lembata (Indonesia), April 7: The death toll from mudslides in east- ern Indonesia has risen to 140 with dozens still missing, officials said Wednesday, as rain con- tinued to pound the region and hamper the search. East Flores district on Adonara island suf- fered the highest losses with 67 bodies recov- ered so far and six miss- ing. Mud tumbled down National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) from surrounding hills rescuers using diggers and shovels to extract early on Sunday, catch- mud-covered bodies from the debris in the village ing people at sleep. of Waimatan in Lembata in East Flores. — AFP Some were swept away by flash floods after body, place it on a bam- expected to continue overnight rains caused boo stretcher and take until at least Friday as rivers to burst their it away for burial. the storm moves south banks. Please find my father toward Australia. On nearby Lembata and mother who are Rescue efforts were island, the downpour still buried ... whatever being hampered by the triggered by Tropical their condition, rains and the remote- Cyclone Seroja sent Suzanna Tasoin cried ness of the area, where solidified lava from a to rescuers struggling roads and bridges were volcanic eruption in to dig up tons of vol- damaged in many November to crash canic materials and places. down on more than a rocks with farm tools at Rescue personnel dozen villages, killing Waimatan village on with excavators and at least 32 and leaving Lembata island, We tons of food and medi- 35 unaccounted for, want to bury them with cine were being depl- according to the the respect they oyed from Makassar National Disaster deserve. city on Sulawesi island, Mitigation Agency. In all, landslides and but were hindered by Hundreds of police, flooding have killed at bad weather and soldiers and residents least 126 across several extremely high waves. dug through the debris islands in Indonesia as Five helicopters were with their bare hands, well as 27 people in helping to reach isolat- shovels and hoes neighbouring East ed areas of the islands, searching for those Timor. Thousands of National Disaster buried. Relatives homes have been dam- Mitigation Agency wailed Wednesday as aged and thousands of chief Doni Monardo they watched rescuers people displaced by the told reporters late pull out a mud-caked weather, which is Wednesday. — AP JORDANIAN KING SAYS SEDITION FEUD ‘BURIED’

Beirut, April 7: Jordan’s king Abdullah II on Wednesday add- ressed the public feud with his half-brother for the first time, saying the attempted “sedition” had been buried but that it caused him shock, anger and pain. The statement marked the first time the king has addressed the unprecedented rift in the royal family which erupted over the week- end when Prince Hamzah, his former crown prince, was placed under a form of house arrest and accused of being part of a plot to destabilize the kingdom. “I speak to you today as my family and tribes- men ... to reassure you that the sedition has been buried,” the state- ment said. The state- ment was read by a newsreader on Jordan TV. “The challenge of the last few days was not the hardest or the most dangerous to the stabili- ty of our nation, but it was the most painful be- cause those who are party to the sedition were from our own home and from outside it,” the king said. “No- thing can come close to the shock and the pain and anger I felt, as a brother, and head of the Hashemite family and as a leader to this dear peo- ple,” he added. — AP KIM: N. KOREA FACING ‘WORST SITUATION’

Seoul, April 7: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has acknowledged his country was facing the worst-ever situation as he addressed thou- sands of grassroots members of his ruling party during a major political conference in Pyongyang. Experts say Kim is fac- ing perhaps his toughest moment as he approach- es a decade in rule, with North Korea’s coron- avirus lockdown unleashing further shock on an economy devastated by decades of mismanagement and crippling U.S.-led sanc- tions over his nuclear weapons programme. “Improving the peo- ple’s living standards … even in the worst-ever situation in which we have to overcome unp- recedentedly numerous challenges depends on the role played by the cells, the grassroots organizations of the party,” Kim said. — AP WORLD DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | THURSDAY | 8 APRIL 2021 pg 10

SHORT TAKES Sinking ship OUTRAGE AFTER EU drug regulator sees clot IMRAN LINKS RAPE TO WOMEN’S DRESS as ‘very rare’ vax side effect The Hague, April 7: The Islamabad: Pakistan rights EU’s drug regulator said campaigners have accused on Wednesday that blood Biden makes jab Prime Minister Imran Khan of clots should be listed as a “baffling ignorance” after the “very rare” side effect of former playboy cricketer the AstraZeneca Coron- blamed how women dress for a avirus vaccine but that open to all adults rise in rape cases. the jab’s benefits continue In a weekend interview on to outweigh the risks. Washington, April 7: The president warned live television, Oxford-educat- No specific risk factors, President Joe Biden has that “new variants of the ed Khan said an increase in including age, have been announced that he's virus are spreading and rapes indicated the “conse- identified for thrombosis bumping up his deadline they’re moving quickly. quences in any society where with the AstraZeneca by two weeks for states to Cases are going back up, vulgarity is on the rise”. shot, which could stem make all adults in the US hospitalisations are no “The incidents of rape of from an immune respo- eligible for Coronavirus longer declining.” He women... (have) actually very nse, the European Medi- vaccines. added that “the pandemic rapidly increased in society,” cines Agency (EMA) said. But even as he expressed remains dangerous,” and he said. He advised women to The watchdog’s findings optimism about the pace encouraged Americans to cover up to prevent tempta- come after several coun- of vaccinations, he continue to wash their tion. “This entire concept of tries halted the use of the warned Americans that hands, socially distance purdah is to avoid temptation, vaccine following dozens the nation is not yet out of and wear masks. not everyone has the willpow- of cases of people with the woods when it comes Biden added that while er to avoid it,” he said, using a clots in blood vessels to the pandemic. “Let me his administration is on term that can refer to modest draining from the brain be deadly earnest with schedule to meet his new dress or the segregation of the after receiving jabs, some you: We aren’t at the fin- goal of distributing 200 sexes. The unmanned Dutch cargo ship Eemslift Hendrika rolls in heavy seas, carrying heavy oil and diesel on board in the of them fatal. ish line. We still have a lot million doses of the vac- Norwegian Sea about 130 kilometres off the coast of Alesund. The crew was evacuated following a distress call “EMA’s safety commit- of work to do. We’re still cine during his first 100 from the vessel, and the Norwegian Coastal Administration said on Tuesday they have dispatched a Coast Guard tee has concluded today in a life and death race days, it will still take time AUSTRIAN GROUP ship to inspect the situation. — AP that unusual blood clots against this virus,” Biden for enough Americans to with low blood platelets said in remarks at the get vaccinated to slow the FILES PLAINT ON should be listed as very White House. spread of the virus. — AP rare side effects” of the GOOGLE AD TRACK AstraZeneca jab, the Amsterdam-based watch- A British government Vienna: An Austrian online dog said in a statement. committee advising on MERKEL BACKS privacy campaign group said But it stressed that it coronavirus vaccinations US military warns China believed people should said Wednesday most peo- on Wednesday it has a filed a ‘LOCKDOWN’ TO complaint against Google over continue to take the vac- ple under 30 should be what it says is a tracking code cine as part of the battle offered an alternative to “illegally” installed on against the disease. the AstraZeneca jab if TAME COVID-19 Android phones. “The safety committee possible, due to concerns The complaint from NOYB on fast track for Taiwan has confirmed that the over blood clots. Berlin, April 7: Chan- relates to Google’s Android benefits of the AstraZ- “Adults who are aged 18 cellor Angela Merkel is in Advertising Identifier (AAID) eneca vaccine in prevent- to 29 years old who do not favour of tightening virus and has been lodged with the Years of military buildup have given China added strength ing Covid-19 overall out- have an underlying health restrictions in Germany CNIL, France’s data protection weigh the risk of side condition... should be for a short period to stem authority. Washington, April 7: effects,” EMA chief Emer offered an alternative rising case numbers, her According to NOYB, the The American military is Cooke told a news confer- Covid-19 vaccine in pref- spokeswoman said on AAID code is created “without warning that China is ence. “It is saving lives.” erence to the AstraZeneca Wednesday. the user’s knowledge or con- probably accelerating its Taiwan blasts China’s Despite the fact that many vaccine, where such an Merkel backs calls for a sent” and “functions like a timetable for capturing of the cases have been alternative vaccine is “short national lock- licence plate that uniquely control of Taiwan, the reported in women under available,” Wei Shen Lim down”, Ulrike Demmer identifies the phone of a user island democracy that has 55, prompting a number of of the Joint Committee on said, noting that the coun- and can be shared among com- been the chief source of fighter jet incursions countries to restrict the Vaccination and try’s health system panies”. Furthermore, NOYB tension between Washi- vaccine's use to older peo- Immunisation, said at a was under growing pres- (none of your business) says ngton and Beijing for Taipei, April 7: Taiwan day seize the island, by “It’s not going to meet ple, the regulator said it press conference. sure. users do not have the option of decades and is widely seen blasted China’s fighter jet force if needed. the purpose of the Chi- had not been able to pin- There have been 79 cases Germany has been in deleting the code, with only as the most likely trigger incursions as “self-defeat- The latest incursion nese government whether point those at risk. of rare blood clots, result- some form of shutdown the possibility of generating a for a potentially cata- ing” on Wednesday as 15 comes as Taiwan mourns they want to win hearts “Specific risk factors ing in 19 deaths, in people since November, but has new tracking ID. strophic U.S.-China war. more of Beijing’s planes its worst train crash in and minds of the Taiwan- such as age, gender or receiving the AstraZeneca struggled to bring case It says this violates the The worry about Taiwan crossed into the island’s decades, an event that ese people or they are medical history have not vaccine in Britain, the numbers under control in requirement under the EU’s e- comes as China wields air defence zone. killed 50 people and pro- going to intimidate the been able to be confirmed, country's medicines regu- recent weeks with a surge Privacy Directive for users to new strength from years of Taipei’s defence min- mpted a rare message of Taiwanese people,” he as the rare events are seen lator said Wednesday. in the British variant of give informed consent for such military buildup. It has istry said it scrambled air- condolence from Chinese added. Democratic and in all ages,” Cooke said. — AFP the virus. — AFP tracking. become more aggressive craft to broadcast warning President Xi Jinping. self-ruled Taiwan lives with Taiwan and more messages to the latest But Taiwanese foreign under the constant threat assertive in sovereignty incursion, which included minister Joseph Wu of invasion by authoritar- ACTOR ZACH disputes in the South 12 Chinese fighters. accused Beijing on ian China. ROUHANI: NUKE China Sea. Beijing also China has ramped up the Wednesday of sending And the sabre-rattling Iranian freighter AVERY HELD FOR has become more con- use of such drills to “very mixed signals” by has increased dramatical- TALKS OPEN frontational with record levels over the past offering sympathy for the ly since Taiwanese PONZI SCHEME Washington; senior year as a way to pile pres- train crash while buzzing President Tsai Ing-wen Chinese officials traded sure on self-ruled Taiwan the island with its fight- won election in 2016, as ‘NEW CHAPTER’ she rejects the idea that hit by ‘explosion’ Los Angeles: Actor Zach sharp and unusually pub- which it regards as its ers. “I would say that the Avery has been arrested in lic barbs with Secretary of own territory. policy is self-defeating,” the island is part of “one Tehran, April 7: Iran- connection with a massive State Antony Blinken in Beijing has vowed to one Wu told reporters. China”. — AFP ian President Hassan Tehran, April 7: An adding an inquiry had Hollywood Ponzi scheme. talks in Alaska last month. Rouhani said on Iranian freighter was hit been opened into the According to Los Angeles A military move against Wednesday that talks in by an “explosion” in the cause. Times, Avery, whose real name Taiwan, however, would defend itself, but it has plant the United States as Chinese military move on Vienna on rescuing a Red Sea, Tehran said on “The accident caused no is Zachary J. Horwitz, was be a test of US support for deliberately left unclear the predominant power in Taiwan. troubled 2015 nuclear Wednesday, after US casualties and a technical taken into custody on Tuesday the island that Beijing how far it would go in Asia. “The threat is manifest deal had opened a “new media reported Israel had investigation is under with the federal investigators views as a breakaway response to a Chinese Some American military during this decade — in chapter”. struck the ship in retalia- way to determine its cir- alleging that he defrauded province. For the Biden attack. leaders see Taiwan as fact, in the next six years,” An Iranian delegation tion for past Iranian cumstances and origin,” investors out of more than administration, it could This accumulation of potentially the most Davidson said. met on Tuesday with strikes on its vessels. the spokesman said. USD 227 million. Horwitz has present the choice of concerns meshes with the immediate flashpoint. Days later, Davidson’s representatives of the Iran was at pains to “Our country will take appeared in minor roles in abandoning a friendly, administration’s view that “We have indications expected successor, Adm. remaining parties to the stress that the freighter all necessary steps thr- movies such as “Fury”, democratic entity or risk- China is a frontline chal- that the risks are actually John Aquilino, declined to agreement to discuss was a civilian ship, ough international bodies “Curvature”, “Farming” and ing what could become an lenge for the United States going up,” Adm. Philip back up the six-year time- how to bring Wash- although other sources in this regard.” Kha- “The White Crow”. He is all-out war over a cause and that more must be Davidson, the most senior frame but told senators at ington back into it and said it had been used by tibzadeh said the Saviz accused of fabricating licens- that is not on the radar of done soon — militarily, U.S. military commander his confirmation hearing: end crippling US sanc- Iranian commandos as a was a “civilian vessel” ing deals with Netflix, HBO, as most Americans. The diplomatically and by in the Asia-Pacific region, “My opinion is, this prob- tions and Iranian coun- base for shipping protec- that had been deployed in well as other platforms, in United States has long other means — to deter told a Senate panel last lem is much closer to us termeasures. tion and other duties in coordination with the order to secure funding for his pledged to help Taiwan Beijing as it seeks to sup- month, referring to a than most think.” — AP US President Joe Biden the area. The explosion International Maritime film distribution company, has said he is ready to comes at a sensitive time Organization to protect 1inMM Capital LLC, according reverse the decision of as US President Joe Biden shipping in the Red Sea to the Federal Bureau of RUSSIA TO BOOST his predecessor Donald attempts to revive a 2015 and the Gulf of Aden. Investigation (FBI). Trump to withdraw nuclear deal with Iran Many foreign govern- In a criminal complaint filed Myanmar junta attacks from the agreement and which was strongly opp- ments have stationed pro- Monday in United States TIES WITH PAK, reimpose unilateral osed by Israel and aban- tection vessels in the area District Court, FBI agent John sanctions. doned by his predecessor since a rash of attacks by Verrastro alleged that Horwitz SUPPLY WEAPONS But differences remain Donald Trump in 2018. Somali pirates between cheated investors of signifi- town that resisted arms over the mechanics of The blast struck the 2000 and 2010. cant sums by persuading them Islamabad, April 7: the move as Tehran has “Iranian commercial ves- “This ship has been to invest in 1inMM Capital. Russia’s foreign minis- Yangon, April 7: Sec- Videos on the site includ- the total to 11, according since responded by sus- sel” MV Saviz off the serving as Iran’s logistics ter on Wednesday said urity forces on Wednesday ed what appeared to be to the news sites The Irr- pending compliance coast of Djibouti on station — for technical Moscow and Islamabad stormed a town in north- sounds of rifle fire, high- awaddy and Myanmar with some of its own Tuesday morning, for- and logistical support — ACTIVISTS GUILTY will boost ties in the fi- western Myanmar where caliber weapons and Now. obligations under the eign ministry spokesman in the Red Sea,” the ght against terrorism, some residents had used grenade explosions. Security forces have deal. — AFP Said Khatibzadeh said, spokesman added. — AFP FOR DEMOCRACY with Russia providing homemade hunting rifles Posts on social media killed at least 581 protest- unspecified military to resist the military's said rocket-propelled ers and bystanders thr- RALLY IN HK equipment to Pakistan February seizure of grenades were used in the ough Tuesday in their and the two holding power, killing at least 11 attack, but provided no crackdown on protests Hong Kong: Three veteran joint exercises at sea and civilians and injuring evidence. against the Feb. 1 coup EU slams Ursula ‘sofagate’ at summit Hong Kong pro-democracy in the mountains. many others, local news The news site said that that ousted the elected Brussels, April 7: The flummoxed as the Turkish parts, opposite Turkey’s activists, including well- In Pakistan on the final reports said. in addition to the seven government of Aung San European Commission hit leader and European Cou- foreign minister — some- known publisher Jimmy Lai, day of a two-day trip, If the 11 deaths are con- fatalities, many people Suu Kyi, according to the out on Wednesday at a ncil president Charles one below her in the pro- have pleaded guilty to taking Sergey Lavrov’s visit is firmed, it would be one of were wounded and arrest- Assistance Association diplomatic snub that left Michel took the only two tocol pecking order. party in an unauthorised rally the first by a Russian the highest single-day dea- ed in the town, also known for Political Prisoners, its head Ursula von der chairs in front of their “The president of the that resulted in violence foreign minister in nine th tolls outside the coun- as Kalemyo or Kale. Over which monitors casual- Leyen without a chair as flags. commission was clearly between police and partici- years, part of a warming try’s two largest half the town’s population ties and arrests. male counterparts sat “Ehm,” muttered the for- surprised,” European Co- pants, media reported on in once frosty relations. cities, Yangon and are members of the Chin The protesters, who have down at a meeting with mer German defence min- mmission spokesman Wednesday. It comes as Moscow se- Mandalay. ethnic minority. organised themselves in a Turkish President Recep ister, appearing unsure Eric Mamer said, insist- Lai is already being held in eks to increase its sta- The online news site Most of the deaths “Kalay Civil Army,” inflic- Tayyip Erdogan. where to go. ing von der Leyen should custody on other charges relat- ture in the region, parti- Khonumthung Burmese occurred in the morning, ted more casualties in the Video from Tuesday’s Eventually she was seat- have been treated “exactly ed to his outspoken opposition cularly in Afghanistan, said the attack on Kalay but more were reported in following days, it said. encounter in Ankara ed on a sofa a little further in the same manner” as to China’ crackdown on civil where it has sought to began before dawn. the afternoon, bringing — AP showed von der Leyen away from her counter- Michel. — AFP liberties in the former British inject itself as a key colony. player in accelerated Last Thursday, seven of efforts to find a peaceful Hong Kong’s leading pro- end to decades of war. APEX | PREDATORS Warming of Arctic twice as fast as planet is leading to dwindling sea ice democracy advocates, includ- “We stand ready to ing Lai and an 82-year-old vet- strengthen the anti-ter- eran of the movement, were rorist potential of convicted for organising and Pakistan, including by participating in a march dur- supplying Pakistan with Polar bears snack on eggs as Arctic shrinks ing massive anti-government special military equip- protests in 2019 that triggered ment,” Lavrov said. Paris, April 7: Hungry which is warming twice as and are snacking on their the bears approached the Beijing’s crackdown. As Washington rev- polar bears are increasing- fast as the planet as a eggs. nesting site over a period While Lai will be returned to iews an agreement it ly foraging on seabird eggs whole. This is already To measure how efficient of 11 days, as the number jail, ex-legislator Lee Cheuk- signed more than a year as climate change shrinks leading to dwindling sea these top-of-the-food-chain of eggs were depleted. yan and Yeng Sum, a former ago with the Taliban and their Arctic hunting ice, cutting short the time predators were at this for- “We found that later- chairman of the Democratic rethinks a May 1 with- grounds, but research pub- they have to hunt seals, aging — and therefore how arriving bears increasing- Party, are believed to be nego- drawal of its soldiers, lished Wednesday on the their preferred prey. useful the eggs are to pro- ly visited more empty tiating bail terms. The charges Moscow has stepped up phenomenon highlights With a growing impera- vide energy in their diets - nests and did not travel in carry prison terms of up to its involvement in Afgh- the struggle these apex tive to find alternative sus- — researchers in Canada an energy-minimizing five years. anistan, emerging as a predators have to adapt to tenance, polar bears have used drones to monitor way, but became less picky The court was shown footage significant player. Last their rapidly changing been pushed further afield them feeding from com- in the clutches they con- of the three at the Aug. 31, month it hosted talks environment. in search of food, includ- mon eider duck nests on sumed,” said lead author 2019, event that led to clashes between the Taliban and The climate change ing scavenging in areas Mitivik Island, in Patrick Jagielski, of the in various parts of the senior government offi- threat to polar bears is populated by humans. Nunavut. Great Lakes Institute for cramped city of more than 7 cials and Lavrov sug- well known, driven by the Some bears are also com- The study, published in Environmental Research Many polar bears are already facing a climate-driven million that was hovering at gested another high extraordinary pace of ing ashore at the same the journal Royal Society at the University of threat as dwindling sea ice cuts short the time they the edge of chaos at the time. level meet. — AP change in the Arctic, time seabirds are nesting Open Science, tracked how Windsor. — AFP have to hunt seals, their preferred prey. — AFP HYDERABAD | THURSDAY | 8 APRIL 2021 pg 11  Rates on hold; accommodative stance to remain Dovish stance PLI schemes for quick leads to RBI opts for status quo broad-based solar modules, AC, FALAKNAAZ SYED linked (CPI) inflation tra- BITES MUMBAI, APRIL 7 BACKING UP GROWTH jectory faces both upside buying LED lights okayed and downside pressures. Faced with renewed chal- ◗ MPC decides to estimated in February RBI expects inflation to INDICATORS % lenges to growth and infla- retain repo rate at 4%, ◗ rise marginally in FY22 RAVI RANJAN PRASAD tionary pressures, the For FY22 CPI Inflation though it expects food MUMBAI, APRIL 7 Sensex 49661.76 0.94 Reserve Bank of India-led reverse repo at 3.35%, is expected at 5%, inflation to soften. Its 5.2 Nifty 50 14819.00 0.92 monetary policy commit- and marginal standing ◗ FY22 GDP forecast per cent forecast for the The market gained close first half of this fiscal was S&P 500* 4,073.50 -0.01 tee (MPC) in its first bi facility at 4.25% unchanged at 10.5%. to one per cent as banks, monthly policy review for ◗ slightly higher than the 5- auto and tech stocks Dollar (`) 74.55 1.52 FY22 on Wednesday kept Stance to remain ◗ While growth 5.2 per cent estimated in gained after the RBI accommodative till Pound Sterling (`) 103.03 1.44 the policy repo rate prospects have bright- February. For fiscal 2022 as announced status quo unchanged and decided to recovery is ensured a whole, it expects 5 per in interest rates and Euro (`) 88.58 2.13 ened with vaccination, continue with its accom- ◗ CPI inflation trajecto- cent. On the other hand, maintained an accom- Gold (10gm)* (`) 45,768▲587 1.28 modative stance "as long as the second pandemic the gross domestic product modative monetary pol- necessary" to ensure a ry faces both upside wave has brought new (GDP) forecast was FC BUREAU solar PV modules. Brent crude ($/bbl)* 62.81 0.11 icy stance in view of the durable economic recovery, and downside pres- uncertainties unchanged at 10.5 per cent challenging times. NEW DELHI, APRIL 7 The PLI scheme for IN 10-Yr bond yield 6.082 0.00 especially since the second for this fiscal. The Sensex gained white goods, approved by sures. RBI’s 5.2% fore- ◗ Under G-Sec acquisi- US 10-Yr T-bill yield* 1.647 -0.009 pandemic wave threatens cast for the first half of The RBI announced a 460.37 points, or 0.94 The government on the Union Cabinet meet- the country's growth tion programme 1.0, slew of liquidity infusing per cent, closing at Wednesday approved a ing chaired by Prime * As of 8:30 PM IST prospects. this fiscal is slightly RBI will buy `1 lakh measures; prime being 49,661.76 while the production linked incen- Minister Narendra Modi, The central bank also higher than the 5-5.2% crore in Q1 government securities Nifty-50 closed 135.55 tive (PLI) schemes for has an outlay of Rs 6,238 chose to focus on support- acquisition programme points, or 0.92 per cent, boosting domestic manu- crore. ing desired financial condi- (GSAP), under which it up at 14,819.05. facturing capacities of Commerce and Industry Drug firms asked tions through new instru- Shaktikanta Das. out on the ongoing recov- will commit upfront a spe- The prospect of low solar PV modules and Minister Piyush Goyal ments, the highlight being "The recent surge in ery. There is concern cific amount of open mar- interest rate remain- white goods like air condi- said the approval of the the 'G-sec acquisition pro- Covid-19 infections, howev- around rising cases of ket purchases of G-secs. At ing in the near future tioners and LED lights, scheme for ACs and LEDs to ramp up gramme' (GSAP) to ease er, adds uncertainty to the infections but as Martin the same time, it led to gains for mid-cap with a combined budget- will give a boost to domes- yields on government domestic growth outlook Luther King Jr had said announced variable and small-cap stocks, ary outlay of more than tic manufacturing. remdesivir output bonds (G-secs). amidst tightening of and I quote: "We must reverse repo operations to with Nifty Mid-cap 50 Rs 10,700 crore. The prime objective of While economic activity restrictions by some state accept finite disappoint- normalise liquidity at the and Mid-cap 100 The PLI scheme for the scheme is to make The government said that all is normalising in spite of governments…Fiscal and ment, but never lose infi- shorter end of the yield indices gaining 1.35 solar photovoltaic mod- manufacturing in India seven manufacturers of remde- the surge in infections, the monetary authorities nite hope" said Das in his curve. Another key regula- per cent and 1.32 per ules has an outlay of Rs globally competitive by sivir have been asked to ramp second wave of the pan- stand ready to act in a coor- monetary policy state- tory measure was exten- cent, respectively, 4,500 crore and is aimed at removing sectoral disabil- up production to full capacity demic is adding uncertain- dinated manner to limit its ment. sion of on-tap TLTRO while the Nifty Small- adding 10,000 MW manu- ities, creating economies by next week. The direction ty to the economic outlook, spillovers to the economy The MPC believes the scheme by six months till cap 100 Index gained facturing capacity of inte- of scale and ensuring effi- comes against reports of short- said RBI governor at large and contain its fall- consumer price index- end-September. 1.71 per cent. grated solar PV modules ciencies. ages of the critical Covid-19 Among the sectoral entailing direct invest- It is designed to create a drug. "There are seven players indices interest rate ment of Rs 17,200 crore. complete component who produce remdesivir. I have sensitive Nifty Bank This PLI scheme is like- ecosystem in India and asked all players to ramp up gained 1.51 per cent, as ly to create direct employ- make India an integral production to full capacity by yield of government ment of around 30,000 and part of the global supply next week," Mansukh Fintech gets leg-up; wallet limit doubled to `2 L securities fell sharply. indirect employment of chains. The scheme is Mandaviya, minister of state for The Nifty Auto gained 1.2 lakh, according to the expected to attract global chemicals and fertilisers, said. FALAKNAAZ SYED Paytm, Airtel, India Post Rs 2 lakh will incentivise direct memberships in 1.59 per cent while the government. investments, generate MUMBAI, APRIL 7 and Fino Payments Bank migration to full KYC centralised payment sys- Nifty Realty gained 0.9 Solar energy capacity large-scale employment are some of the top play- PPIs, which will further tems (CPS)-RTGS (real- per cent. addition now depends opportunities and enhan- The Reserve Bank of ers in the payments bank bring financial inclusion time gross settlement) and The Nifty PSU Bank largely upon imported ce exports substantially. India on Wednesday segment. across the country.” NEFT (national electronic index gained 1.95 per solar PV cells and mod- "The PLI scheme for Wipro appoints announced a slew of Welcoming the measure, In another move, now fund transfer). cent. The 10-year gov- ules as the domestic man- white goods shall extend measures to further boost Satish Gupta, MD & CEO non-bank payment opera- Furthermore, the RBI ernment bond yield fell ufacturing industry has an incentive of 4 per cent Subha Tatavarti the digital fintech ecosys- of Paytm Payments Bank tors can also use RTGS has also proposed to make to 6.082 per cent and limited operational capac- to 6 per cent on incremen- tem. In a major move, pay- Ltd, said this will enable and NEFT sytems. The interoperability mandato- touching 6.059 intra-day. ities of solar PV cells and tal sales of goods manu- ment banks can now hold the bank to cater to the central bank proposed to ry for full-KYC PPIs and Both foreign portfolio modules, a government factured in India for a as CTO a maximum end of day growing needs of its cus- enable payment system for all payment accept- investors and domestic statement said. period of five years to balance of Rs 2 lakh per tomers. "Similarly, the operators like PPIs, card ance infrastructure. institutions turned net The PLI will be dis- companies engaged in customer from Rs 1 lakh increase in the current networks, white label Guidelines for adoption of buyers of equities bursed for five years post manufacturing of air con- earlier. This will be a limit on the outstanding ATM operators and trade interoperability on a vol- worth Rs 227.42 and Rs commissioning of solar ditioners and LED lights," relief to shopkeepers who balance in full KYC PPIs receivable discounting untary basis for full-KYC 381.08 crore, respec- PV manufacturing plants, another official statement use payment bank wallets (prepaid payment instru- system (TReDS) platforms PPIs were issued back in tively. on sales of high efficiency said. to receive payments. ments) from Rs 1 lakh to regulated by it to take October 2018. MEIL’S FIRST Rupee sees steep fall MAKE IN INDIA Sebi slaps `25-cr New Intel Wipro said it has appointed former Walmart executive Subha Tatavarti as its chief OIL RIG BEGINS chip technology officer. The compa- fine on Ambanis ny also appointed Suzanne but bond yields cool OPERATION launched Dann as senior vice president New Delhi, April 7: The lations. and sector head for capital FALAKNAAZ SYED ket, as the yield on the cial markets and would New Delhi, April 7: Sebi on Wednesday Thus, the obligation to markets and insurance, North MUMBAI, APRIL, 7 benchmark 10-year gov- not want excess volatility Megha Engineering & imposed a total penalty of make a public announce- America region. Tatavarti will ernment bond fell by to take hold. Among the Infrastructures Ltd Rs 25 crore on Mukesh ment about acquiring the lead Wipro's Service Transfor- The rupee plunged to a nearly 6 basis points to most important annou- (MEIL) on Wednesday Ambani, Anil Ambani, shares arose on January mation, Topcoder, Robotics, four-month-low on Wed- 6.078 per cent, as soon as ncements were the exten- said its first indigenously- other individuals and 7, 2000. This was the date SVIC, Technovation Centre, nesday, but the bond mar- the governor’s speech sion of the targeted long- made oil drilling rig has entities for non-compli- on which the PACs were Open Innovation and Applied ket cheered as the Reserve ended. term repo operations started operation at the ance with takeover norms allotted RIL equity shares Research teams, Wipro said. Bank of India (RBI) The secondary market (TLTRO) scheme till Kalol oil fields in in a Reliance Industries on exercise of warrants pledged to buy Rs 1 lakh G-Sec acquisition pro- September, 30 from March Ahmedabad. case dating back to 2000. issued in January 1994, FC BUREAU crore of government gramme (G-SAP 1.0) gives 31— a big help for 26 sec- The rig, which became Others penalised by the the order noted. HYDERABAD, APRIL 7 bonds this quarter to cap indicative calendar of tors allowed to benefit operational on Wednes- watchdog include Nita However, the Securities borrowing costs. purchase of government under this scheme. day, is part of an order Ambani and Tina and Exchange Board of Intel on Wednesday The rupee fell 1.6 per securities by the RBI and The RBI announced Rs worth Rs 6,000 crore for 47 Ambani, wives of Mukesh India found that the pro- launched new 3rd Gen Aravind appointed cent, the biggest fall since provides the market suffi- 50,000 crore liquidity sup- drilling rigs. and Anil Ambanis. moters and PACs have not Intel Xeon Scalable August 2019, to close at cient guidance to plan its port to all-India financial MEIL is the first compa- RIL's promoters and per- made any public processors, its most as CFO of Tanla 74.5650 per dollar. While liquidity management institutions to lend to pro- ny in the private sector to sons acting in concert announcement for acquir- advanced, highest per- policy rates were kept well. It is also expected to ductive sectors. This manufacture and use rigs (PAC) failed to disclose ing the shares. formance data centre unchanged, the RBI help smoothen the gov- money will go to Nabard used in oil and fuel the acquisition of more Since the promoters and platform optimised to Platforms Ltd announced a G-Sec acqui- ernment borrowing pro- (Rs 25,000 crore) which extraction with advanced than 5 per cent stake in PACs have not made any power the industry's Tanla Platforms, India’s largest sition programme (GSAP) gramme. will be used for on-lend- technology, a company the company way back in public announcement for broadest range of work- CPaaS provider, on Wednesday of Rs 1 lakh crore in “A defined primary liq- ing to support agriculture statement said. 2000, the regulator said in acquiring shares, it is loads. appointed Aravind Viswana- Q1FY22, with as much as uidity infusion via the and allied activities, the As part of the Centre's its 85-page order. alleged that they have vio- Code-named "Ice than as the chief financial offi- Rs 25,000 crore of open bond programme is de- rural non-farm sector and Make in India pro- In 2005, Mukesh and lated the provisions of the Lake", the 3rd Gen Intel cer. He would take charge on market operations (OMO) facto a secondary QE of non-banking financial gramme, MEIL has manu- Anil had split the busi- takeover regulations. Xeon Scalable proces- June 1. “Aravind is the right purchase lined up on RBI,” said Madhavi companies-micro finance factured these rigs for the ness empire built by their According to the order, sors deliver a significant person to join me and our April 15. According to Arora, economist at institutions. Also, Rs first time in the country, it father Dhirubhai various individuals and performance increase leadership team to help contin- analysts, this would help Emkay Global Financial 10,000 crore will be added. Ambani. entities failed to "make compared with the prior ue Tanla’s remarkable momen- cool bond yields and sup- Services Ltd. “This will extended to National With a capacity of 1500 As per the order, 6.83 per public announcement, generation, with an tum and drive our next phase port the government’s imply massive narrow Housing Bank for one HP (horse power) these cent shares that were deprived the shareholders average 46 per cent of hyper growth, global expan- market borrowing pro- money growth and pri- year to support the hous- rigs can easily dig oil acquired by RIL promot- of their statutory rights/ improvement on popu- sion, and customer success,” gramme. Notably, RBI’s mary liquidity which is ing sector. wells up to 4,000 metres ers together with PACs opportunity to exit from lar data centre work- said Uday Reddy, the chairman net purchases in FY21 clearly going to put depre- Further, to meet the (four kilometres) depth consequent to exercise of the company". loads. and CEO of Tanla Platforms. were Rs 3.13 lakh crore ciation pressure on INR.” funding requirements of from the ground surface. option on warrants The regulator has The processors also and this sets the tone for a In his statement, RBI micro, small and medium These rigs have a life span attached with non-con- imposed the penalty of Rs add new and enhanced similar of higher pur- governor Shaktikanta enterprises, Sidbi will be of about 40 years. vertible secured 25 crore, to be paid jointly platform capabilities, chases in FY22. Das, said the central bank sanctioned Rs 15,000 crore In 2019, MEIL received a redeemable debentures and severally, by the indi- including Intel SGX for The gesture was well- is keen to have an orderly for a period of up to one tender worth Rs 6,000 were in excess of ceiling viduals and entities con- built-in security, and received by the bond mar- movement in the finan- year. crore to manufacture 47 of 5 per cent prescribed cerned. Intel Crypto Practo online drilling rigs. — PTI under the takeover regu- — PTI Acceleration and Intel DL Boost for AI acceler- ation. consultations in "The future of technol- BARBEQUE NATION ogy is being shaped by 15 languages CITROEN DRIVES IN several inflections, including the prolifera- Integrated healthcare company TURNS VOLATILE Nurse squeezes extra doses C5 AIRCROSS SUV AT `29.9 L tion of the cloud, AI, the Practo announced the launch rapid adoption of 5G of online consultations in 15 RAVI RANJAN PRASAD MICHAEL GONSALVES and computing at the vernacular languages. This ini- MUMBAI, APRIL 7 PUNE, APRIL 7 of vaccine with air bubbles edge. As the pace of this tiative will allow users to digital disruption accel- choose a doctor who can Restaurant chain Barbe- Citroen, the French car ESSI LEHTO vaccine liquid and then erates, Intel's technolo- speak in their preferred lan- que Nation Hospitality's maker, began its India HELSINKI, APRIL 7 pushing it back into the gy and leadership prod- guage. Currently, this service shares hit the 20 per cent innings on Wednesday, bottle to get rid of air in ucts are more critical covers 15 languages, with more upper circuit on the with the launch of its first Finnish nurse Sari Roos is the syringe. She then than ever," said Prakash to be added soon, it said in a bourses, bouncing back model the new Citroen C5 teaching her colleagues a draws the exact dose and Mallya, VP and MD, release, adding that with this, after a lacklustre debut at Aircross SUV and plans to vaccination technique completes it with sterile sales, marketing and Practo is one step closer to 2 per cent below the issue consolidate its footing by segment and just below that enables her to air from the bottle. communications Group, breaking down access barriers price. introducing one new car the start of luxury cars in squeeze more doses out of The dose is then injected Intel India. for 200 mn users in the future. Barbeque Nation shares every year over the next the country. Covid-19 vaccine vials, with minimal waste. In India, early listed at Rs 492 on the BSE five years. However, it hit the 1,000- helping to stretch scarce "The purpose of the air adopters of the new 3rd and at Rs 489.85 on the But it will not be a cake unit pre-launch booking supplies and ensure more is to push all the liquid Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Printed & Published by NSE, below the public walk for the company in mark with the down pay- people can be inoculated. into the patient from the platform include CtrlS, K. Sudhakar on behalf of Deccan issue price of Rs 500 per the fiercely competitive ment of Rs 50,000. Her air-bubble trick shot utensils are in short needle and close the injec- ESDS, Pi Datacenters, Chronicle Holdings Limited, Printed at share and dipped further market with dominant “Our first model the new makes it possible to supply, making Roos' trick tion channel so it won't Reliance Jio and Wipro Deccan Chronicle Press at Deccan to day's low of Rs 481.35 player Maruti Suzuki, Citroen C5 Aircross SUV extract an elusive seventh all the more valuable as bleed," Roos told Reuters Ltd. Additionally, key Chronicle Holdings Ltd. #563/9/D&9/E, on the BSE. Hyundai and Tata Motors is for the Indian market dose from vials of the vac- countries seek to protect at Helsinki's Laakso hos- hardware and software Behind Andhra Bank Pet Basheerbagh, But thereafter the stock and Kia Motor, command- and we got a good cine from Pfizer--one more people against new, more pital where she works as a ecosystem players have Kompally, Ranga Reddy Dist. Editor: T.Venkatram Reddy, RNI Reg moved up sharply and hit ing nearly 80 per cent of response with over 1,000 than the six approved by infectious coronavirus training nurse. market-ready solutions No.APENG/2008/24282. © All rights the 20 per cent upper cir- the car market. buyers before the launch,” Europe's health regulator strains that are spreading Her success has drawn to enable customers to reserved. Reproduction in whole or in cuit by 10.30 am hitting a With the starting price Roland Bouch-ara, senior that can normally only be a third wave of infection. the attention of colleagues efficiently deploy Intel's part without written permission of The day's high of Rs 590.40 on of Rs 29.90 lakh at Delhi VP - sales and marketing drawn with a special nee- Roos' technique, similar at home and abroad who latest technologies and Editor, Financial Chronicle ® is the BSE and Rs 587.80 on showroom, Citroen C5 at Citroën India told dle and syringe. to one used in Denmark, are keen to get more shots enhance performance prohibited. the NSE. The shares Aircross is at the top of C- Financial Chronicle. Such "low-dead-space" begins by drawing some from each vial. — Reuters across workloads. remained locked there. GAMES pg 12 DECCAN CHRONICLE | HYDERABAD | THURSDAY | 8 APRIL 2021

SHORT TAKES Olympic torch is TCA affiliation up off Osaka streets Royals look to rule at BCCI meeting Tokyo: The Tokyo Olympic torch relay will not run through New Delhi, April 7: which the High Court has the streets of Osaka prefecture Following the unsanc- asked BCCI to run till the next week because of rising Will Samson-Sangakkara partnership work for Rajasthan? tioned conduct of the elections are held. Covid-19 cases. Bihar Cricket League, the The TCA had made its The move is a setback for New Delhi, April 7: A BCCI is likely to form a pitch earlier and could be a Tokyo organisers, who began restructured Rajasthan working group to stream- step closer to becoming an the relay two weeks ago from Royals will aim to build a NOW, SAMS OF line the organisation of associate member of the northeastern Fukushima prefec- new legacy but a weak T20 events around the BCCI. ture with 10,000 runners plan- Indian contingent and country in its Apex The BCCI might also ning to crisscross Japan over overdependence on for- RCB CONTRACTS Council meeting on April grant recognition to the the course of four months. eign recruits could hurt 16. Differently Abled Cricket The Olympics open in just over the inaugural edition win- CORONAVIRUS The Bihar Cricket Council of India, having 100 days on July 23. In a last- ners’ chance for glory in Association completed the conducted fruitful talks minute change of plans, organ- the upcoming IPL. Chennai, April 7: Royal league last month despite with the stakeholders isers said in a statement RR have made some Challengers Bangalore’s BCCI’s directive in the recently. Wednesday that runners and changes in management Australian allrounder middle of the event stating Other business on the the torch will be involved in as well as the squad ahead Daniel Sams on that it was staging the tour- agenda include appoint- some event in an Osaka city of the new season. Sanju Wednesday tested positive nament without the ment of the Indian park on the days when the relay Samson replaced Steve for Covid-19 ahead of the required approval. women’s team’s support was to cross the entire Smith, who was released, IPL starting on April 9 Following the success of staff and its international prefecture. That was to be as skipper while coach here, but opener Devdutt the IPL, state T20 leagues assignments. April 13-14. “Given the circum- Andrew McDonald has Padikkal recovered from began mushrooming There will also be talks stances, the Osaka prefectural also gone with Sri Lankan the dreaded infection to around the country but on how to conduct the 2021- authorities today requested legend Kumar Sangak- join the side. most of them have come 2022 domestic season. Tokyo 2020 to hold the Osaka arra stepping in as direc- According to a state- under the scanner for cor- The Indian cricket board segment of the Olympic torch tor of cricket. ment issued by RCB on its ruption, something which could also finalise its stand relay in Expo ‘70 To strengthen their pace Twitter handle, the 28- is seen as a big challenge on backing the ICC’s bid Commemorative Park rather attack RR bought South year-old allrounder by BCCI’s new anti-corrup- for cricket’s inclusion in than on public roads,” Tokyo African all-rounder Chris arrived in India on April 3 tion unit. the 2028 Olympics. If it organisers said. — AP Morris for a whopping and had a negative Covid- Also among the 14-point decides to support the `16.25 crore, making him 19 test report at that time. agenda is discussion on a game’s inclusion in the the most expensive buy in The Royal Challengers representation made by Summer Games, it might Judo team pull the IPL auction history. Bangalore will take on Telangana Cricket have to give up on its However, an injury to defending champions Association and state of autonomy and become a out of Oly qualies Archer ruling him out of Mumbai Indians in the affairs in Jammu and national sports federation. at least the first few tournament-opener on Kashmir cricket, a body — PTI New Delhi: A 16-member games, is a massive blow. Friday. Indian judo team has been Here’s is a SWOT analy- “His (Sams’) report from forced to withdraw from the sis of the side that will the 2nd test on 7th April ongoing Asia-Oceania Olympic take on Punjab Kings in came positive. Sams is NETHRA 1ST INDIAN WOMAN qualifiers in Bishkek, Mumbai on April 12. currently asymptomatic Kyrgyzstan after a player tested and he is currently in iso- STRENGTH positive for Coronavirus just lation at a designated SAILOR TO QUALIFY FOR OLY before the start of the tourna- RR boast of a number of medical facility,” the RCB New Delhi, April 7: Nethra Kumanan on Wednesday ment. The judoka tested posi- destructive batsmen. Jos said. became the first Indian woman sailor to qualify for the tive after landing in Kyrgyzstan. Buttler and Ben Stokes “Royal Challengers Olympics after she was assured of a top-place finish in “Yes, one player of the team are match-winning play- Bangalore medical team the laser radial event of the Asian Qualifiers in Oman. tested positive upon landing in ers who can trample any is in constant touch with The 23-year-old has a 21-point advantage over her Bishkek just a before the offi- opposition while Samson World’s fastest sprinter and the 11-time world champion Usain Bolt posted this pic of Daniel Sams and continue nearest rival, who also happens to be an Indian — cial weighing on April 5, forcing is a minefield of talent. his in a Royal Challengers Bangalore jersey on Twitter and wrote ‘Challengers, just to monitor his health and Ramya Saravanan — in the Laser Radial Class event the entire squad to withdraw as David Miller and Morris letting you know, I am still the fastest cat around,’ while tagging captain Virat Kohli, abide by the BCCI proto- with one race to go on Thursday. per the guidelines of are two other powerful star batsman AB de Villiers, Puma cricket and the RCB team handle. — Usain Bolt cols,” RCB added. Chennai-based Nethra currently has 18 points while International Judo Federation,” strikers and Liam Daniel became the sec- Saravanan has 39 on the penultimate day of competi- a source in the Judo Federation Livingstone can turn the games in any of the edi- With Suryakumar Yadav that it might have on his ond RCB player to test tions in Mussanah Open Championship, which is a of India (JFI) said. match on its head. Last tions in the past few years. and Ishan Kishan doing batting are factors that positive for the infection joint Asian and African Olympic qualifying event. In “The team comprised 12 season’s revelation, all- Pacer Jaydev Unadkat, brilliantly on their T20 must be taken into after left-handed opening sailing, the athlete who has the least points wins the judokas and four coaches,” it rounder Rahul Tewatia, bought for `11.5 crore in debuts, Sanju have the account. batsman Padikkal. competition. The final race on Thursday is a 20 point- added. The Asia-Oceania has also showcased his 2018, has been unable to perfect opportunity for Also, the team is heavily “Devdutt Padikkal, has er and Nethra has sealed it with one round to go. Championships in Bishkek start- ability to whack the ball deliver. him to prove his leader- dependent on Archer. joined the team on 7th “Yes, Kumanan has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics April 2021 with negative ed on Tuesday and will end on outside the park. OPPORTUNITY ship skills in order to While they have Morris to with one race to go on the final day on Thursday,” reports for Covid-19 as Saturday. Prominent judokas in WEAKNESS make the Indian team for rely on, the pace attack Asian Sailing Federation President Malav Shroff said. the team included Shushila Devi Samson’s form and consis- the World Cup. seems weak in the 26-year- per BCCI protocols. RCB “The final race is a 20 pointer but the point gap with (women’s 48kg), Jasleen Singh For Royals, the problem is tency have always been a old England pacer’s medical team was in con- her nearest Asian rival, also an Indian, is more than THREAT Saini (men’s 66kg), Tulika Mann their weak Indian core question mark. He has absence. The franchise stant touch with Devdutt 20,” said Shroff who himself represented India in (women’s 78kg) and Avtar which hasn’t been consis- failed to capitalised on the With Samson at the helm, would desperately hope to ensure his safety and Olympic sailing event in the 2004 Athens Games. Singh (men’s 100kg). — PTI tent. Samson has rarely handful of chances pro- his lack of experience in Archer joins the side at well-being,” RCB stated in — PTI performed in five straight vided to him in T20Is. the role and the impact the earliest. — PTI a separate release. — PTI CITY CLIPS Vinicius double sinks Liverpool Madrid, April 7: Vinicius Junior scored twice as Real THE RESULTS Madrid made Liverpool pay for more defensive (QUARTERFINALS errors on Tuesday, a 3-1 vic- FIRST LEGS) tory putting them in sight Real Madrid 3 of the Champions League (Vinicius Junior 27, 65, semifinals. Asensio 36) Winners and runners-up of the TSTA State Ranking Vinicius and Marco Liverpool 1 Tennis Tournament pose with their trophies at the Asensio both profited in (Salah 51) Secunderabad Club. the first half after darting behind Liverpool’s Manchester City 2 makeshift back-line before (De Bruyne 19, Foden 90) Dhiraj’s double at Secunderabad Club a simple move from a Borussia Dortmund 1 throw-in gave Vinicius a (Reus 84) . Dhiraj Reddy bagged a grand double by winning simple finish in the second. Vthe singles titles in the boys U-16 and U-18 cate- Mohamed Salah’s strike gories at the TSTA State Ranking Tennis Tournament shortly after the interval held at the Secunderabad Club. briefly made it a contest at Live on TV In the U-16 final, Dhiraj was stretched before defeat- Valdebebas, with an away ing Sri Hari Donde 6-3, 6-7(3-7), 10-6. In the U-18 title goal certainly a significant FOOTBALL round, he beat Rushi Chakra Budidha 5-7, 6-1, 10-6. consolation for Liverpool Europa League Quarterfinals THE RESULTS to take into the second leg (first legs): Arsenal vs Slavia ■ Boys U-16 final: V. Dhiraj Reddy bt Sri Hari Donde 6-3, 6-7(3-7), 10-6. at Anfield next week. Praha from 12:30 am (Friday) Semifinals: V. Dhiraj Reddy bt A. Vijay Sarathi 9-2; Sri Hari Donde bt Shashank on Sony Ten 1; Granada vs Chilla 9-2. But without fans and Manchester United from 12:30 ■ Boys U-18 final: V. Dhiraj Reddy bt Rushi Chakra Budidha 5-7, 6-1, 10-6. with a miserable recent am (Friday) on Sony Ten 2; Semifinals: Rushi Chakra Budidha bt Tanmay Raj Bhatnagar 9-2; V. Dhiraj record at home, Jurgen Ajax vs Roma from 12:30 am Reddy bt Saneet Uppati 9-4. ■ Girls U-16 final: Sai Ananya Varanasi Bt Nysha Baruah 6-2, 6-0. Semifinals: Klopp will know his side (Friday) on Sony Six, HD Sai Ananya Varanasi bt Harsheen Kaur 9-2; Nysha Baruah Bt D Hasini Yadav have it all to do to avoid his 3-2 conceded. team’s season becoming ■ Girls U-18 final: Nysha Baruah bt Veda Ravipati 6-1, 6-1. Semifinals: Nysha solely about scraping into of the return in eight days’ Baruah Bt P Nanditha Reddy 9-2; Veda Ravipati Bt Kathyayani Reddy 9-1. ■ Women’s final: Charitha Vasi Reddy bt Jayti Tanna 2-6, 6-0, 10-2. the Premier League’s top time. Semifinals: Charitha Vasi Reddy bt Juveria Fatima 9-5; Jayti Tanna bt Laharika four. Before then, they go up Gangoni 9-3. Except for two spells after against Barcelona on ■ Men’s final: Jaidev Reddy bt Rushi Chakra Budidha 7-6 (2), 5-1 conceded. Semifinals: Jaidev Reddy bt Anirudh Behera 9-2; Rushi Chakra Budidha bt half-time and at the finish, Saturday and this result, Aditya Kodakalla 9-1. when their opponents were their fifth consecutive vic- holding on to what they tory, should be another had, Liverpool were over- huge boost to morale going powered by Real Madrid, into what will be a crucial Mixed luck for Dedeepya at AITA event whose only disappoint- fixture in the Spanish yderabad girl Y. Sai Dedeepya entered the singles ment might be missing out league’s title race. Hsemifinals of the AITA `1 lakh Women’s tennis on a clearer margin ahead — AFP tournament being played in Bengaluru. In the quar- terfinals, Dedeepya defeated Avishka Gupta of Jharkhand 6-2, 6-4. In the semifinals she will play Statemate Veda Varshitha. Partnering Avishka Gupta of Jharkhand in the doubles, Dedeepya lost to the com- 24 athletes Covid bination of Snigdha (Karnataka) & Veda Varshitha (Telangana) 1-6, 6-4, 6-10. +ve in SAI Bhopal Royal Club put four past Wanaparthy New Delhi, April 7: As (National Centre of oyal Club ‘A’ defeated Wanaparthy 4-3 in the Dhyan many as 24 sportspersons Excellence),” a SAI official RChand Cup 5-a-side Hockey Tournament being and 12 support staff mem- said. organised by Gymkhana Hockey Club at the bers have tested positive “Some of the athletes Gymkhana Ground in Secunderabad. for the Coronavirus at the who tested positive had Yaswanth, E. Aditya, S. Sandeep and Raju scored a Sports Authority of India’s returned from wushu and goal each for the winners while T. Venkatesh got all (SAI) Bhopal centre but judo competitions,” the three for Wanaparthy. none of the athletes are official added. In another match, Indur Hockey Club beat Youth Olympics-bound. In order to contain the League 3-1. Rakesh, Kapil and Jayvardhan scored for According to SAI, the pos- spread of the virus, the the winners while S. Mahesh reduced the margin for itive cases came to light athletes, who have tested Youth League. Rasoolpura ‘B’ played out a 1-1 draw during two rounds of pre- positive, have been shifted with Mohd Sporting with Ravi Teja and Vinod scoring cautionary tests on April 3 to a hospital as a precau- for either side respectively. and 6. The SAI Bhopal tionary measure. Center doesn’t house any The SAI had further Olympic probable. instructed all the NCOEs Regd. No. HQ/SD/509/2021-23 “In the two rounds of to strictly follow its exist- Printed and Published by K. Sudhakar on behalf of Deccan Chronicle testing, a total of 36 people ing Standard Operating Holdings Limited. Printed at Deccan Chronicle Press situated at Plot No. 9 have tested positive for Procedures (SOPs) with Alwal Village, Vallabh Nagar Taluk, Medchal Malkajgiri Dist. Telangana and Covid, out of whom 24 are stress on conducting regu- Published at 36, S.D. Road, Secunderabad-3. RNI Registration No. 3081/1957. Editor: Kaushik Mitter athletes, and the other 12 lar precautionary tests. who are staff of NCOE — PTI